Hello, My Name is Inigo Montoya…

 
 Well, we’re getting close to the end, aren’t we? Thank you
so much for sticking with the series. I could go on forever with this! But I
won’t.
 
If you want to catch up, you can do it:
 
 
 
Now, let’s watch the clip first. DISCLAIMER:
There is a unsavory word involved here. 
 

A little back story, Inigo Montoya lost his
father to the six-fingered man. Murdered. Brutally. The rest of his life he’s
sworn revenge on this man who he believes destroyed his life. He’s a master fencer. And of course, because
he wants revenge, Vizinni has promised him what he wants most…IF he’ll do something
for him: help kidnap and kill the princess.
 
Things don’t go as planned, though. That’s life,
huh? And after Vizinni dies, Inigo is found at “the beginning” sitting in front
of his house, drunk, and carrying on because things just haven’t turned out his
way. The six-fingered man is lost to him. He has no reason to live.
 
But he remembers someone who was stronger, smarter, and more skilled than him. A man of honor. Westley. He knows he can’t go on without his help. Oh, sure, he thinks he’s going to help him with revenge. But Westley, who destroyed the man manipulating
Inigo, has something else in mind for him. He sees potential in Inigo.  (He’s going to make him ruler over a ship–okay it’s piracy but just go with the analogy here.)
 
Now, in this clip we see him getting his revenge
and he does indeed succeed (that rhymed, anybody wanna a peanut!) But it came
with a terrible fight. And he could have been killed, he was certainly injured.
 
“Do not
avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is
written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.”  Romans 12:19 NET
 
I understand hurt. I understand pain. I
understand unfairness. I’m in no way saying those who have been victimized
shouldn’t feel angry or want justice. But I am saying that we have to give that
anger and that hope for justice in our case to God. Or we’ll grow bitter, like
Inigo.
 
Nothing escapes God’s eye. Even when it looks like
someone is going to get away with their crime on earth, they won’t get away
with it after this temporary life. That is guaranteed.
I’m saying that we waste our time on revenge.
Inigo had no wife, children or really many friends. The giant. And of course in
the end, Westley. But not Vizzini. He was using him for his own purposes.
 
The same way our enemy tries to use us. He takes
our pain and twists us into confusion, distracts us from truth, and fuels our
bitterness with his own false truth. LIES. He’s a liar.
But God sees in us something we may not. He sees
in us things others may not. We are not used up. We are not worthless. We
matter to God. We are valuable.
 
Oh we may be broken. But God is a FIXER. A
MENDER. And He wants to heal us. So we can become the person He already knows
us to be.
 
He is our Defender. Even when it feels like He’s
dropped the ball. He hasn’t. Westley himself says to Buttercup, “Life is pain,
Highness. Anyone who says differently, is selling something.”
 
Jesus said, “I have told you these things so
that in me you may have peace. In the world you have trouble and suffering, but
take courage—I have conquered the world.” John 16:33 NET
We have trouble. People have freewill and with
that comes their choices to hurt. To abuse. 
To murder. To steal.
 
But we also have the freedom to choose
differently. To choose hope. Life abundant. To get better. To be healed. To move
past the pain. To move into a purpose and destiny that will glorify God and
help others who may have been hurt in the same way.
 
 “There’s more to come: We
continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because
we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that
patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever
God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling
shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can’t round up enough containers to hold
everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!” Romans
5:3 MSG
 
Oh what we miss out on, when we focus on the
pain and revenge. When we carry grudges and unforgiveness.
 
I don’t know about you, but I want God’s best. I
don’t want to miss out on all the good. I already know there’s a lot of bad.

Join me next Monday for I Wonder If He is Using the Same Wind

What are you focusing on?

 

photocredit/wikipedia

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Revenge: Tips for a strong story

 

 
My husband was out
of town and I couldn’t sleep. So I snagged my iPad and went to Netflix. What
could I watch that would knock me out?
 
I clicked on
Revenge. Season 1. Now, I didn’t watch this show when it came out because I
wasn’t crazy about the title. And I already have enough shows I’m watching.
 
But within the first
five minutes, I was hooked.
 
Why?
 
Setting
 
Located in the
Hamptons, on the beach. Exquisite beach houses. All things I happen to find
fascinating.
 
Great
hook
 
As the show opens this quote comes onscreen: “Before you
embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.” Confucius
 
It starts with a
dead body falling on the beach while the narrator talks about two wrongs not
making a right. Another bullet is fired. A party is going on.
 
The heroine’s voice says, “Real
satisfaction can only be found in one of two places. Absolute forgiveness or
mortal vindication. This story is not about forgiveness.”
 

 

 
I know immediately
what this story is about. I’m lured in with this man being murdered and a big
party.
 
 
“You shouldn’t
be here,” the heroine says.
 
“That makes two
of us,” some random guy I haven’t figured out says. (I now know who he is.)
 
 
Intrigue
through Action
 
 
The man just got shot! At his own engagement party…or
did he?
I’m immersed the
minute the show starts. The inciting incident happens. A man in his tux is shot
down on the beach and I know it’s about revenge, already, so I’m following
closely to see why does this woman want revenge? What will she do to get it?
Shoot this man? Did she shoot this man? Who shot this man?
 
As a writer, I’m
hanging on everything that happens. I’m watching how they unfold this story.
And they do it well.
 
Backstory
 
Instead of simply
telling me what happened or beginning with back story, they don’t. They bring
it in in “real time” while showing. They don’t give me the answer to
who shot the man.
 
 
Victoria and Conrad Grayson
Not yet. They keep
me hanging on, by going into what happened before. If I want answers, I must
keep watching and because it’s done in real time and more action is present,
I’m willing to watch to see. And even as I watch the real time backstory, they
have yet to give me everything. I still have to try and piece things together
and continue watching. It’s a delicious thrill! And it involves the Grayson family. 
 
Twists
 
Every time I think I
know something, they prove I don’t. Everyone has a story. Everyone has a
motive. Everyone has a secret. With every jaw dropping moment, I have to press
on. And so at 2:30 in the morning on a work night, I’m on episode 7. Still
watching. I must know!
 
Theme
 
This story may not
be about forgiveness, which as a Christian I believe in. I believe that God
alone will bring justice to injustice. But what I’m discovering is, it’s more
than revenge. It’s about the setbacks, the consequences of choices, the
no-turning-back moments. It’s the story question that begs an answer: “Is
revenge worth it?” She may not think she has anything to lose, but she
does. With each day, she discovers she absolutely does. So will revenge drive
her forward? Will she stop?
 
And just when she
thinks she will…something happens to force her to keep going.
 
Great writing!
 
 
Likable
Characters
 
I may not agree with
revenge, but I understand this character’s motives. They’re strong. They’re
tied to love and family. I can relate. I may want revenge on someone who hurts
those I love. I believe her. While she’s making the wrong decisions, in my opinion
based on my beliefs, I can sympathize.
 
I like her sidekick,
who really just wants her to forgive, but he helps her because he’s hoping that
she’ll realize the kind of life she could have, with a certain someone, if
she’ll just let it go.
 
Even the villainous
characters at times are likable. They’re motives are strong. I see their human
side. I even root for them to get out of the predicaments they’re put
in (sometimes).
 
I’m about two
episodes away from finishing season 1. I’ve Tivo’d season 2. I think I’ve
missed two, but I can watch them online. And I will.
 
Writers:
How about your stories? Do they have all of these elements to keep readers
turning pages?
 
Readers:
What keeps you turning pages? Any of these elements?
 
Everyone:
Do you watch Revenge?
 
*I will be announcing the winner for the Name That Boat contest! You have until midnight tonight to enter as many names for the sailboat as you’d like! Hop on over to my facebook page to participate! 
 
*Join me Monday with Joanne Bischof, author of Be Still My Soul!