La Bene Vita (Book) - InkSpot.Com

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About This Author

Contact Me

Brandiwyn🎶

, also known as Michelle Tuesday, is a musician, educator and writer hailing from Columbus, Ohio.

La Bene Vita

I am a professional musician

, worship leader

, small business owner

, songwriter

, aspiring author

and freelance nonfiction writer

with a chemical engineering degree

.

But that's just my resume.

My profile of qualifications is only one of the ways in which I am unique. Here I chronicle my personal and professional goals and my efforts to achieve them. Occasionally I fail. Mostly, I take daily baby steps toward all my long-term goals. Much like the stories I pen, the songs I compose, and the businesses I run, I am always a work in progress.

Show Recent Comments

10 Most Recent Blog Comments:

Robert Waltz

a day ago
In response to "Story idea and my thoughts on Heaven and Hell"

Elycia Lee ☮ Friday 13

- yeah, maybe it's our turn to bug her to run it through Prep this year

Elycia Lee ☮ Friday 13

a day ago
In response to "Story idea and my thoughts on Heaven and Hell"

Robert Waltz

I'll be more impressed if Michelle can walk, chew gum, and whistle without swallowing the gum all at the same time.

Even better if she can whistle to the tune of Mozart or something.

Hmmm... if I ever finish that story I was writing which was my first attempt to write a novel, I will definitely ask you what you think of it.

Michelle, if you ever write your story, I wanna read it.

1 Like

Robert Waltz

a day ago
In response to "Story idea and my thoughts on Heaven and Hell"

It's certainly a thing to write about things you don't believe in. For instance, I reject the idea of the supernatural, but it's interesting enough that I've written fiction featuring it. But the problems with writing about "perfect" places are well-documented; it's tough to introduce conflict into a utopia, but it has been done. The enduring popularity of Star Trek is one example.

To address your specific situation: maybe perfection includes incorporating apparent imperfections in order to make things interesting. Like how Lucifer's fall, and Adam and Eve's for that matter, were actually all part of the Plan. After all, if God could be surprised, He wouldn't be omniscient, would He? And if Heaven's perfect, then doesn't that mean that the residents' supposed free will has been taken away, and isn't that a contradiction?

One superpower we have as humans is to imagine the impossible.

I know I'm saying all this as an outsider, so take it as you will. And you know me well enough, I hope, to know that I'm not saying any of this to be hurtful or obnoxious.

Oh, and Elycia Lee ☮ Friday 13, it's possible to be both a scientist and a musician. Brandiwyn🎶 can walk and chew gum at the same time.

2 Like

Elycia Lee ☮ Friday 13

a day ago
In response to "Story idea and my thoughts on Heaven and Hell"

You are a scientist? I thought you are a musician.

Writing a story that involves God, heaven, hell, and angels are to me one of the most difficult stories to write especially if you want to be factually right.

I tried and fell flat on my face. Good luck. I really do like the idea of angels getting promoted... your arguments are valid too...

1 Like

Brandiwyn🎶

a day ago
In response to "Story idea and my thoughts on Heaven and Hell"

Kåre เลียม Enga

- I welcome your different point of view once you had some sleep!

(deleted and reposted because I accidentally sent this privately initially probably because I need some sleep also haha@ my eyes don't work before 7:00 a.m.)

Kåre เลียม Enga

a day ago
In response to "Story idea and my thoughts on Heaven and Hell"

It's 02:52 here... and I'm awake? Oh... if I were "awake" I could come up with something... if only a different point-of-view.

1 Like

Brandiwyn🎶

a day ago
In response to "Story idea and my thoughts on Heaven and Hell"

PS: I realize my post reeks of #firstworldproblems and #privilege. I don't believe that invalidates my arguments, but feel free to comment if you disagree or for any reason.

1 Like

Lazy Writer est 4/24/2008

Nov 8, 2023 at 11:33am
In response to "Bradykinesia: Effects on Piano Practice"

You play really well. I always wanted to play piano but never had the patience to practice.

Storm Machine

Nov 8, 2023 at 9:45am
In response to "Bradykinesia: Effects on Piano Practice"

I love your shirt. "I can do anything"
I'm glad you're documenting this. You're doing so many good things.

2 Like

Storm Machine

Oct 27, 2023 at 2:40pm
In response to "Vocal Fold Atrophy "

I'm glad you're documenting the journey. You are improving, and the patience and determination that are your companions in this path aren't failing you. Keep going.

1 Like

July 24, 2025 at 2:16am

#1094000

Story idea and my thoughts on Heaven and Hell

I dreamed that my husband's sister, Kathy, who passed away last year, sent him a postcard from Heaven. I sat across from him as he read it, so the words were upside down, and I couldn't make everything out. But I did gather that she was excited to tell him that she'd been promoted to the next level of angel, which gave her the authority to grant blessings to the levels above her. She also said that she could confirm that God keeps his promises.

(Dream inspired by the current political climate in the US? Probably.

)

So this gave me an idea for a novel about an angel who gets promoted. At the time it felt like a great idea, but I was half asleep, and we all know how great half-asleep story ideas are once we're awake. That was when I started thinking about the major flaw in that idea, which is that, according to Christianity, Heaven is perfect. And why is this a problem? Because we all know the fundamental foundation of a good story is conflict. If there are no problems in heaven, there's no conflict. Therefore, no story.

And that got me thinking about Heaven in general, and my beliefs as a Christian. I'm a scientist, and I don't always believe in the Christian story of Jesus' death and resurrection. Think about how much journalists get wrong today, despite all of the varied technologies and communication tools available to them. Sometimes they even quote each other in stories that end up being wrong once new evidence comes to light. Isn't there a possibility that the Gospels got it wrong, even though they corroborate each other? Maybe.

I once had a very wise Pastor explain it this way: either Jesus rose from the dead, or it was the greatest documented hoax in history.

I have similar back and forth opinions about Heaven and Hell. Maybe they exist exactly as outlined in the Bible - Heaven is paradise, while Hell is eternal torment. Or maybe that's just what they want you to think in Heaven. Kind of like how the Republicans think that the Democratic ideal sounds like Hell and vice versa, whereas their own ideals would be paradise. And then there's the third alternative: that neither Heaven nor Hell exist at all.

Even if they do exist, the idea of Heaven itself makes me question it. I've been to "paradise" - the Earthly version - in the form of all-inclusive Caribbean resorts. While paradise is relaxing, I do find myself starting to get bored at the end of the week. Could I handle that for all eternity?

Or maybe the Earthly concept of Heaven might be something like being retired and wealthy, but still in good enough health to do those things we've always put off but wanted to do, like traveling, crafts, or home improvement. But if Heaven is perfect, what is there to improve? And even if I could travel or do crafts for eternity, I feel like they would start to get less fun eventually.

I'm a problem solver. I love to solve problems. In fact, we humans are fundamentally built to solve problems, which is why we have such advanced brains compared to most other species with whom we cohabitate this planet, and even they were built to solve less complex problems. Our problem-solving ability is why all we species have survived so long here on Earth. It's also why video games are so popular. Can you imagine a video game with no conflict, no challenge? What kind of afterlife would it be if we never were challenged? It all just sounds incredibly boring.

I realize that all of this seems ambivalent for someone who claims to be Christian. But here's the way I see it: whether Jesus rose from the dead or not, and whether Heaven exists and is paradise or not, I choose to follow Jesus. If the teachings of Christianity are true, I'm confident that I'll land in Heaven despite John 3:16 dictating that i have to "believe" to gain access. I have a hard time believing that God would judge me for my doubts, which are beyond my control, and which arise from the analytical brain he gave me, when I'm living my life according to his dictates to the best of my ability. And if there is no Heaven, following the teachings of Jesus improves my life while I'm living. Being nice and caring for others provides me with happiness, the security of a strong community of friends, and less stress overall. You know how they say forgiveness is for you, not the person you're forgiving? It's like that, where the person you're forgiving is literally every jerk who ever cut you off in traffic and every deadbeat who took advantage of the welfare system* to rip you off of your hard-earned tax dollars, not to mention the love ones who betrayed you.

So in conclusion (ha!) I'm not sure my Heaven story idea is gonna work. Unless my fictional Heaven incorporates some imperfections. And I learn to control my scope-creeping, off-topic ramblings.

#pardonanyerrors #3AMmusings

*by "the welfare system", I mean the collective social programs paid for by my federal, start and local tax dollars. I realize that there's no actual program called "welfare".

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