Monthly Archives: November 2019

NaNoWriMo 2019 & The Writing On the Wall

Posted on by under The Stories

My mentor wrote to me after my last blog post and commented that it sounded from my recent writings like I was discovering writing as a spiritual practice. I think that is an accurate assessment of how things are changing in me.

My initial philosophy of writing was, “writing is a vehicle by which you communicate to others what you think.”

When I started blogging I realized that was a fairly self-centered way of writing. Blogging taught me about the nature of writing and reading in the midst of a community, and how important it was not just to say what I thought, but to listen to the voices of others as I mixed my voice into the community. This second philosophy of writing was, “writing is a vehicle by which you participate in community.”

That second stage philosophy has turned out just to be an oasis to stop at in a much longer journey. I have come to the place where writing is a method by which I begin to wonder what God is doing in the deeper space between the words. It is becoming an exercise by which I  am trying to contextualize  motives and mysteries…the heart of the world, my own heart and in the deepest iteration of the work ,the very heart of God. “Writing is a spiritual practice in which you discover God.”

Our church has recently developed a manifesto. We have published it on place cards for every member of the church to have at home, and we have created giant pieces of art to hang on our walls so that people can read our purpose as they walk around the church. I call it “The writing on the wall.”

I have come to understand that “The writing on the wall” is God’s specific marching orders for us as a church. As I am part of the church these marching orders apply to me. It is necessary that I discover what my position in the church is so that I may understand what part I will have in carrying out these marching orders. Writing  this novel now is contextualizing what my role will be in the future as a member of this church, as a soldier in God’s army and as a citizen of that heavenly domain to which we all hope to attain. It is so much bigger than the novel, and it is the novel all at the same time.

Sounds like a spiritual practice to me and man it is more than I bargained for.

 

Share Your World 11-12-19

Posted on by under For Family & Fun, Uncategorized

It is time once again to Share My World with Melanie! This is the weekly challenge where Melanie asks some questions and in answering them we share our worldsSYWRainbows

Here are this week’s sharing questions and my answers. When you have finished take a  trip to Melanie’s blog by clicking HERE TO SEE HOW HER OTHER CONTRIBUTORS ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS

  1. Is copying and pasting images or information off the Internet plagiarism?   Do you credit those whose work you ‘borrow freely’ or do you think the idea is repugnant?   (Credit for this question goes to GC and Sue)                                                                                I generally try to give credit where credit is due or I try to use stock images if I am using pictures.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
  2.  Do you let sleeping dogs lie?                                                                                                             Unless they are my dogs I try to give sleeping dogs a wide berth.
  3.  What’s the strangest pet name (for adults) that you’ve ever heard someone called?           Stinky.
  4.  Do you like to dance?   If yes, what’s your favorite and if no, why not?

I do not dance mostly because I look like I am having a seizure when I do.

graitutde

Gratitude Question:

November brings Thanksgiving to Americans.  I know Canada celebrates Thanksgiving too, but I believe it’s in October.   Does your country celebrate a similar holiday?   If you’d like, share some traditions you observe around Thanksgiving or if you don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, what are some traditions you have?

I love the old fashioned American Turkey. My sister lives in the Netherlands (when she is not home on intineration) and turkey over there has to be imported so it is super expensive. Still her colleagues get together and celebrate American Thanksgiving even though Sinter Klaus comes right on the heals of that on Dec. 5th.

Evening Meditation 11-11-9

Posted on by under Pastor Wrinkles

Arrogant foes are attacking me, O God;
    ruthless people are trying to kill me—
    they have no regard for you.
15 But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
    slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
16 Turn to me and have mercy on me;
    show your strength in behalf of your servant;
save me, because I serve you
    just as my mother did.
17 Give me a sign of your goodness,
    that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
    for you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me. Psalm 86:14-17

Share with me some things you consider to be signs of God’s goodness.

 

NaNoWriMo 2019 & My “Oh! So Tired”

Posted on by under The Stories

I planned well for this year’s NaNoWriMo. I created a detailed list of goals to tackle. I began months ago working on building my writing and reading  stamina so that I could handle three hours a day of reading and writing. I even thoughtfully restructured my schedule between work and home so that I would be able to manage the  new writing regimen.

What I did not plan on was the level of weariness I was going to come into this season carrying. I am tired not so much physically but emotionally. While I now have the working space to plan in a longer nap every day, I am realizing that this is not just about getting the physical rest my body craves. There is a work to do in the midst of all the writing and reading.That work has to do with facing some emotional issues and coming to terms with them. I have to let some things go to gain peace. I have to change my expectations regarding certain things to come, and I have to allow some people to walk away as I realize I cannot fill their expectations of our relationship. I have to give up what I cannot control and embrace what I can control. Honestly, the list of things I can control is turning out to be rather small.

I think part of NaNoWriMo this year may be about far more than just writing the next great American novel. I think it is about something far closer to home. I am beginning to feel like God planned all this in advance so that I would be able to come to terms with  the monumental changes which have taken place in my life over the last 2 years. Strangely, until the beginning of this month I was not even really aware that I was having a struggle with these changes. Fancy that.