C.S. Elston

Worshipper, Husband, Author, Screenwriter, Home Cook, Fan

Defining a “Christian” Novel (re-post)

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I’m continuing to slowly rollout my answers to questions in an interview I did on Twitter back in November for #MounceChat / #HealthyFaith. This week’s post is a short but sweet one. A writer from Montana named Carol Buchanan asked me, “What defines a ‘Christian novel’?” Here is how I responded:

I’m sure it is defined differently by different people. For me, a Christian novel represents Christianity in a positive and honest way through character development and storyline and points people to the truth of God.

Someone whose primary concern is the marketing aspect of the literary world would tell you that it is definitely a genre of its own. But, for me, as the writer, I would say it’s the spirit that pervades the story. I don’t think there’s a strictly right or wrong answer. But, the latter is where I land.

Adding to my answer from back in November, I’ll just say that I don’t believe all of my own work would be called “Christian” by Christian film/book marketers and/or sellers although I also know that some of it certainly would be. However, I do believe that all of it represents Christianity in a positive and honest way and points people to the truth of God. I’m sure of this because I know I write honestly and from the heart and I have personally witnessed the power of Jesus Christ to change lives.

The more mature I become in my faith, the more that truth will reveal itself through my writing because it becomes increasingly intertwined with who I am. If you’re writing honestly, who you are shows up on the page every time. So, if you’re a true follower of Jesus Christ and you’re writing a novel from a heart transformed by the Holy Spirit, you’re writing a “Christian” novel whether or not you set out to do so.

Facing the Critic Within

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We’ve never seen him (or, her – for me it’s a him) but we’ve all heard his voice. Call him the voice of doubt, the inner critic or, heck, call him the natural thief of confidence and productivity. It all means the same thing. It’s that nagging voice that comes from within. I hear it all the time. After all, I believe that I am my harshest critic.

Self-criticizing can be very detrimental. It can stifle creativity. It can cause you to doubt your abilities and the work you’re doing to the point where it slows you down or even leaves you completely unproductive. It can cause image issues, relationship fears, and often leads to full-blown depression.

All this to say that the critic within needs to be taken seriously and managed appropriately. To avoid the downward spiral that leads to self-destructive behavior, it is my humble opinion that the critic needs to be listened to and responded to because it can’t be all-together avoided. If, instead, we can harness the criticism and re-direct it into self-improvement, we will become happier and more successful people. So, how do we do that?

First, we must accept the fact that no one is perfect. We aren’t, never will be, and expectations of perfection are both ludicrous and harmful. Goals are great but keeping them realistic is critical so that we set ourselves up for success.

Next, we need to identify the motivational source of the voice. Is this coming from a place deep inside where we know we have room for improvement in a certain area? Or, is this coming from a place of pain? A place of deception? For some, the critic within comes from a place where they have been hurt in the past.

For example, a boy that was teased as a child for being overweight can grow up to be a man who feels fat no matter how much time he spends in the gym or how many times he passes on the French fries, opting instead for the kale salad. That’s when you know the voice is a liar and needs to be kicked out of your life. Choosing the gym and the kale salad made the man a better version of himself than accepting his “fate” as a fat man and eating French fries while watching The Biggest Loser in tears would have. But, he already made that improvement so, continuing to listen to that voice would only mean inevitable self-destruction. Time to move on.

As a Christian, I also believe that the voice within me can be the Holy Spirit shining a light on dark spots in my life that need to be exposed so that I can improve. So that I can become the man I was created to be and live the life I was created to live. That’s a voice I want to listen to because it makes me a better person and, ultimately, a happier one.

As a writer, the critic within can make my work better. Again, I just need to learn to harness it and use it for good rather than let it overwhelm me and take me down the path of self-destruction. Like me while I’m on this side of heaven, my work will never be perfect. And, also like me, there’s always room for improvement. We are all works in progress. And, until my books are in print, I’m trying to improve every little detail until I have to let go.

The bottom line is that the critic within can be a good thing. Or, it can be your worst enemy. The choice is up to you. One thing that’s for sure, we all face that voice from time to time. The trick is in how we decide to handle that standoff.

Give Thanks

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By C. S. Elston

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (ESV)

2020 has been a crazy, difficult year. Is there anyone on the planet who disagrees with that statement? I doubt it.

Still, I have so much to be thankful for: a roof over my head, food to eat, a car to drive, an educated background, friends and family that I love and who love me back (including the most amazing wife a guy could ever dream of,) and, most importantly (yes, even more so than that beautiful, gracious wife,) the hope of eternity with my Creator. A lot of that probably sounds like obvious stuff but, it’s good for the soul to express it anyway. The Bible instructs us to give thanks for many reasons, but I will briefly focus on two.

First, it honors and glorifies God.

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

Revelation 4:11 (ESV)

Second, it puts our focus on the blessings in life and gives us a more positive outlook.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

Philippians 4:8 (ESV)

Quite simply, giving thanks is a healthier way to live than the alternative.

“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”

Proverbs 17:22 (ESV)

It’s important to remember these things as we head into what might be the most difficult Thanksgiving holiday we’ve ever experienced. With that in mind, please allow me to end this on a lighter note and one of my favorite subjects: food.

We all look forward to the turkey. Well, most of us do anyway. A lot of people look forward to the desert, too. Of course, you don’t have to pick just one item to look forward to about the greatest American meal of the year (yes, even 2020.) But, if I was forced to, mine would have to be a side dish. No, it’s not the cranberry sauce or even the mashed-potatoes and gravy. The latter is high on the list, however. My favorite would have to be my mom’s Sweet Potato Casserole. So, I got special permission to share the recipe. It’s so good, it just wouldn’t be fair to keep it to ourselves.

Ingredients

2 cups of mashed Princella canned Sweet Potatoes — drain the syrup before mashing

4 tablespoons of softened butter or margarine

2 eggs

1 cup of milk

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Dash of salt

2/3 cup of sugar

Directions (part one)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine above ingredients. Mix well. Place in greased casserole dish and bake for approximately half of an hour. Remove from oven.

Topping Ingredients

6 tablespoons of melted butter or margarine

1/2 cup of chopped nuts

1/2 cup of brown sugar

1 cup of flour

Directions (part two)

Combine topping ingredients. Mix well. Cover casserole with the topping mixture and place back in the oven for an additional 10-15 minutes. Remove and serve. This dish should take care of about 8 people. But, if you love it as much as my family does, you may have to drop that number to 6 . . . maybe even lower . . . I actually prefer this to most of the pies. Enjoy and have a happy Thanksgiving!

The Food of Fall

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C.S. Elston

Two of my favorite “F words” are “food” and “fall” – I truly love this season. The cool, crisp air of a sunny autumn day and the warm, comforting foods we start to crave feel like a glimpse of Heaven to me. So, I thought I’d share a few of the recipes I tend to turn to around this time of year. For me, one of the most cozy and comforting foods on a cold day is a hot bowl of soup. So, it’s no coincidence that three of the five recipes fall into that category. I say five but, stay tuned for a bonus 6th recipe – a delicious, post-pumpkin-carving snack.

Fall also tends to be when I’m trying to shed a few pounds from the summer BBQ season. So, I’m going to include a healthier version and a “cheat meal” version of the same recipes. Typically, the difference between the two is a minor tweak but, the lower calories help when you’re trying to slip back into the jeans that fit you in spring and suddenly feel just a bit more snug. This is particularly appropriate for some of us after the COVID-19 quarantine.

Without further adieux . . .

Spicy Chili

Healthier Version –

2, 20-ounce packages of 99% fat free ground turkey breast

2, 26-ounce jars of Ragu Tomato & Basil Sauce – light

1, 15-ounce can of black beans, drained

1, 15-ounce can of red beans, drained

1, 15-ounce can of pinto beans, drained

1 chopped onion

2 chopped tomatoes

3 cups of chopped mixed bell peppers

12 minced cloves of garlic

4 tablespoons of fajita seasoning mix

1/2 tablespoon of black pepper

1/2 tablespoon of white pepper

1/2 tablespoon of red pepper

1/2 tablespoon of dark chili powder

1 tablespoon of smoked paprika

*** Makes 12, 1 ½ cup servings

Cheat Meal –

3, 16-ounce packages of 80% fat free ground beef

4, 12-ounce bottles of chili sauce

1, 15-ounce can of black beans, drained

1, 15-ounce can of red beans, drained

1, 15-ounce can of pinto beans, drained

1 chopped onion

1 chopped green pepper

1 chopped red pepper

1 minced clove of garlic

1 tablespoon of black pepper

1 tablespoon of white pepper

1 tablespoon of red pepper

4 tablespoons of fajita seasoning mix

2 chopped tomatoes

Brown the meat in a skillet, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks. Drain any excess liquid.

Add meat and all other ingredients to a slow cooker or a large pot and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the dish reaches preferred temperature and the vegetables are cooked to desired tenderness.

Serve in a bowl. If it’s a cheat meal, a little sprinkle of some freshly grated cheddar cheese won’t hurt most people’s feelings.

Shepherd’s Pie

Healthy –

Canola oil spray

1 pound of 96% fat free ground beef

1 cup of chopped onion

2 2/3 cups of frozen mixed vegetables

2 cups of diced Roma tomatoes

4 russet potatoes, quartered and boiled until soft

½ cup of skim milk

2/3 cup of WW Mexican Style shredded cheese

¼ teaspoon of white pepper

½ teaspoon of black pepper

1 ½ teaspoon of salt

*** Makes 4 servings

Cheat Meal –

4 teaspoons of canola oil

1 pound of 80% fat free ground beef

1 cup of chopped onion

2 2/3 cups of frozen mixed vegetables

2 cups of diced Roma tomatoes

4 russet potatoes, quartered and boiled until soft

¼ cup of 2% milk

1/8 cup of melted butter

1 cup of freshly grated cheddar cheese

¼ teaspoon of white pepper

½ teaspoon of black pepper

1 ½ teaspoon of salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Heat a skillet to on medium and add oil. Brown the ground beef, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks. Add onions, tomatoes, frozen mixed vegetables, ¼ teaspoon of white pepper, ¼ teaspoon of black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook for 5 minutes.

Mash potatoes with milk (and butter for cheat meals,) ½ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper.

Move meat and vegetable mixture to an oven-safe casserole dish. Cover with potatoes. Top with cheese. Bake 10-15 minutes until cheese is browned and bubbling.

Cut into four equal parts and serve.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Healthy –        Spray oil

2 Chicken Breasts – approximately 1 ¼ lbs.

1 large red onion, chopped

2 cups of shredded carrots

4 cups of celery, chopped

¼ of a cup of green onions, chopped

12 ounces of high fiber spaghetti noodles

3 quarts of chicken broth

½ of a teaspoon of dried nutmeg

½ of a teaspoon of dried sage

1 teaspoon of dried thyme

1 teaspoon of dried basil

1 teaspoon of dried rosemary

1 teaspoon of dried marjoram

1 teaspoon of ground black pepper

1 teaspoon of ground white pepper

1 teaspoon of ground salt

1 tablespoon of Adobo seasoning with pepper

1 tablespoon of Adobo seasoning with cumin

*** Makes 8 servings

Cheat Meal –  1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 tablespoon of butter

2 lbs. of chicken

1 large red onion, chopped

2 cups of shredded carrots

1 cup of red onion, chopped

4 cups of celery, chopped

¼ of a cup of green onions, chopped

12 ounces of wide egg noodles

3 quarts of chicken broth

½ of a teaspoon of dried nutmeg

½ of a teaspoon of dried sage

1 teaspoon of dried thyme

1 teaspoon of dried basil

1 teaspoon of dried rosemary

1 teaspoon of dried marjoram

1 teaspoon of ground black pepper

1 teaspoon of ground white pepper

1 teaspoon of ground salt

1 tablespoon of Adobo seasoning with pepper

1 tablespoon of Adobo seasoning with cumin

Flatten chicken and cut into ½ inch pieces. Brown in a soup pot with oil (and butter if this is a cheat meal) and add onion, celery, carrots and seasonings when done. Continue cooking and simmering for at least 5 minutes. Add chicken broth and stir until it boils. Add noodles. Turn heat to low and let simmer until noodles are nice and soft.

Divide equally into 8 bowls and serve immediately. Put salt and pepper out so people can add to individual taste.

Open-Faced, Stuffed Bell Peppers

Healthy –

Canola oil spray

1 cup of uncooked brown rice

20 ounces of ground turkey breast

1 cup of chopped yellow onion

1 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes

6 cloves of garlic, minced

1 cup of Weight Watcher’s Mexican Style Cheese

1/8 of a cup of Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon of dried sweet basil

1 teaspoon of crushed oregano

1/8 of a teaspoon of black pepper

1/8 of a teaspoon of white pepper

1/8 of a teaspoon of red pepper flakes

½ tablespoon of salt

1 tablespoon of Adobo seasoning with cumin

1 cup of water

4 bell peppers (any color)

*** Makes 4 servings of 2 pepper-halves per person

Cheat Meal –

2 tablespoons of canola oil

1 cup of uncooked brown rice

20 ounces of 80% fat free ground beef

1 cup of chopped yellow onion

1 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes

6 cloves of garlic, minced

1 cup of Shredded American Cheese

2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon of dried sweet basil

1 teaspoon of crushed oregano

1/8 of a teaspoon of black pepper

1/8 of a teaspoon of white pepper

1/8 of a teaspoon of red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon of salt

1 tablespoon of Adobo seasoning with cumin

1 cup of water

4 bell peppers (any color)

Slice peppers in half lengthwise, removing stem ends, seeds, and membranes. Immerse pepper halves into boiling water for 3 minutes each. Sprinkle insides with Adobo seasoning and invert on paper towels to drain.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat oil in a large skillet to medium. Add meat, garlic and onion. Cook until meat is brown and onions are tender. Stir in tomatoes, rice, Worcestershire, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until rice is tender (15-20 minutes.) Stir in half of the cheese. Fill peppers with mixture from skillet and place in a large baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for about 15 minutes, until heated through and cheese is brown and bubbly. Let stand for 1-2 minutes. Serve.

* You can use cooked rice (in which case water is not needed when rice is stirred in) to save time.

Turkey & Pumpkin Chili

Healthy –

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 package (12 ounces) of frozen, chopped onions

1 package (12 ounces) of frozen onion and bell pepper blend

1 tablespoon of minced garlic

2 pounds of 99% fat-free ground turkey breast

3 cans (14.5 ounces) of diced tomatoes

4 cups of pumpkin puree

1 can (15 ounces) of tri-color beans

1 can (15 ounces) of kidney beans

1 can (15 ounces) of black beans

2 heaping tablespoons of chili powder

4 tablespoons of brown sugar

2 tablespoons of pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon of ground white pepper

1 teaspoon of salt

Cheat Meal –

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 package (12 ounces) of frozen, chopped onions

1 package (12 ounces) of frozen onion and bell pepper blend

1 tablespoon of minced garlic

2 pounds of ground turkey

3 cans (14.5 ounces) of diced tomatoes

4 cups of pumpkin puree

1 can (15 ounces) of tri-color beans

1 can (15 ounces) of kidney beans

1 can (15 ounces) of black beans

2 heaping tablespoons of chili powder

4 tablespoons of brown sugar

2 tablespoons of pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon of ground white pepper

1 teaspoon of salt

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté the onions, bell peppers and garlic until tender. Stir in the turkey and cook until evenly brown. Mix in tomatoes, beans and pumpkin. Add in all the seasonings and the brown sugar. Stir it up while raising the heat until it begins to boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for at least 20 minutes.

One of the Shine-A-Light authors is bringing her husband over for lunch in a couple of days and will experience the above chili for herself – with a twist. Instead of turkey we’re going to try it with pork for the first time. Actually, three kinds of pork. Shredded pork loin, diced ham and crumbled bacon. It will be new to all of us but, with bacon involved, it can’t be bad.

A week or so after the Three Pork & Pumpkin Chili has settled, it will be “Pumpkin-Carving Weekend” at my house. However, I secretly call it “Pumpkin Seeds Weekend” because eating the seeds we roast after the pumpkin carving is over is easily my favorite part of the event. So, I thought, as a bonus, I’d also share the recipe (modified from one passed on to my mom by her best friend from childhood, the late, great Sheila Williams.) Sheila was a delight, these seeds are an annual treat, and hopefully, sharing this recipe, in some small way, honors a wonderful human being who is at home with our Lord and experiencing so much joy that, if she read my earlier “Heaven” comment, I’m sure she’d tell me, “You have no idea!”

Best Pumpkin Seeds Ever!

Ingredients for every Cup of Unwashed Seeds

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon of melted butter

1 teaspoon of your favorite seasoning salt (Johnny’s, Lowry’s, etc.)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

Mix the seeds (I cannot stress enough how vital it is to leave them unwashed) and the other ingredients (again, portioned according to the number of cups of seeds – I usually have at least four cups, which means four tablespoons of butter, four teaspoons of seasoning salt and two teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce) in a bowl.

Grease a baking sheet (I just use a little spray oil – doesn’t take much because of the butter) and dump the seed mixture into it. Spread the seeds out into a single layer (or, at least, relatively close.) Depending on how many cups of seeds you started with, you may need to use more than one baking sheet.

Bake to desired crispness (stirring occasionally and sprinkling a bit of extra seasoning salt if you like them super salty.) I like mine rather crispy so, two hours, is a bare minimum. Again, depending on how many seeds there are, it can be three or four.

Try not to eat them all in one sitting. I find it to be extremely difficult.

Happy Fall, everyone! Enjoy the crisp sunny weather and, especially, the food!

The Inspiration Behind “The Four Corners” Trilogy

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By
C.S. Elston

Admittedly, I’ve told this story before. But it answers a question I get asked a lot and, with the recent release of “The Four Corners of Darkness,” I thought it would be appropriate to, once again, share the inspiration behind the series.

I was driving down the 101 freeway just north of Los Angeles, California, somewhere between Studio City and Sherman Oaks about fifteen or sixteen years ago. Looking out the side window of my Jeep Wrangler as I passed by a sea of houses and apartment complexes, I don’t know why I was thinking about this but, all of the unhappy home environments that exist all around us entered my mind. I thought about the fact that a lot of people who feel unloved, really are in fact loved. They are just in an environment where the people who love them either don’t know how to say it or show it, or they’re too wrapped up in their own problems to recognize the ones they’re causing in the lives of the people they love by simply not expressing the love they really do have deep down. Sometimes, we just overcrowd that love with so much self-created, negative clutter, that no one can see it because it’s like a wonderful gift hidden in the back of the closet where no one will ever have the opportunity to enjoy it.

That got me thinking about how quickly someone’s attitude could change if they were faced with losing the person or people they love. Somehow, that translated into this fantasy world called Kadosh, which is a Hebrew word that means “set apart for a Holy purpose.” In the books, people are being yanked out of the real world and separated onto islands, presumably, for eternity. So, while God intends for these people to love one another, the fact that they are not doing that in the real world gives the demon ruler of this fantasy world the ability to pull them into his realm where he can keep them apart from one another.

Absence truly does make the heart grow fonder. And, in an extreme situation like that, the aforementioned gift is going to find itself through the clutter in a hurry. Then what do you do? When love and regret overwhelm you like that, you can’t keep it inside. You must let the people you have those feelings for know about it. In the case of the Snyder family in “The Four Corners,” that means an incredible journey lies ahead. Ultimately, the risk is worth the potential reward.

The sequel, “The Four Corners of Darkness” is inspired, at least in part, by a one-act play I acted in while attending college at George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon. I think it was called “Doors” but, I can’t remember for sure and, I have no idea who wrote it. But the play was about a bunch of people who seemed permanently trapped in a house. The doors were locked and couldn’t be opened, and the windows had bars on them. It was an allegory about sin and salvation. Ultimately, someone from the outside, who had been there before and been shown the way out, had to go back inside and pay it forward. In the same way, while the Snyders and a bunch of others find their way back home at the end of the first book, their youngest child, Kinsey, recognized the responsibility that came with that accomplishment. He knew they would have to go back and show those who didn’t take the journey with them the first time, that there is, indeed, a way to get out and go back home. Now that the second book is out, I guess I’d better get to work wrapping this story up with the final installment of “The Four Corners” trilogy. . .