Psalm 63:6

 

 

 

"When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches."

Psalm 63:6 (NKJ)

    This is truly a good, good thing. Lying in bed late at night just remembering the things God has done, thinking about His ways, and even speaking with Him in prayer.
    Because when it's night, it's like the world has stopped and the needs of the day are put on hold. At night, lying in bed, everything's still and calm and relaxed, and there aren't so many distractions as there are in the day. It's perfect for having a calm, whispered conversation with the One who doesn't need sleep.
    Do you do this often, meditating and praying while lying in bed? Isn't it wonderful?

Penny in the Gutter

Gutters are wet and uncomfortable, and stepping or tripping into
one is very unpleasant, but when you find a penny there,
it's a nice, small bright side to the situation, right?

    Life is good--but as we all know, it doesn't always go well. Sometimes unfortunate things happen; disappointments that bring us down. Sometimes multiple disappointments happen all at once, and that kind of discouragement can really make a person feel ill.
    But thankfully, God is in our lives, so there's always good reason to have hope. He's promised that since we've let Him be our Lord, everything that happens to us happens for a reason (Romans 8:28). And because of that assurance, we can also trust that we'll never be in a situation where there's nothing but disappointment and failure. In every low and dark place, there's going to be a bright side. In every huge mistake, there's a lesson that'll help us avoid getting back in the same situation. And in every disappointment, there's always a hope that God will use it to bring about something good.
    It might really be difficult to hold onto that kind of optimistic thinking when one's actually going through problems, but it is true. I've recently just had a time where I got hit by one discouragement after another after another, and though I definitely wasn't confident that the problems would just disappear, understanding that God is in control and wouldn't let everything just be a disappointment was a real anchor to hold to. Soon after calming down, I realized that all of those discouragements had actually opened the door to an awesome (and rare) opportunity that otherwise would have stayed closed. And realizing the blessing that was made available was like finding a bright, round, precious penny in a gutter. Something really good came out of the bad situation, and it's something that'll last a lot longer.
    So while discouragements we have to face in life aren't easy to ignore at all, there's still a sure hope that bad situations don't have to be all bad. The Lord is our God, and He has a talent of using difficulties to create good, amazing things.
    That's such an awesome, comforting thing to be able to hold to. Amen?

Respect

    Having stories is a funny thing; sometimes it's a lot like the way we writers are with ideas. One day (usually right after finishing a big manuscript) we don't have a novel-length story to tell, and we're looking high and low to find one; but on other days, when we do have a fabulous story to write, there are a dozen other shiny story ideas, all screaming to be written immediately! And as much as it'd be awesome to dive into writing them (particularly when a severe case of writers' block has struck with the current work), it can't be done because there just isn't enough time.
     Alas, there's no remedy that'll magically enable us to ignore other ideas for just a little while, or grant us super-speed-writing to make the wait for the next project shorter. But there is something that can definitely help us cling to the story we've made a commitment to working on: respect. Having respect for the gift of writing, and respect for the story itself.
    Showing something/someone reverence doesn't just mean to think of something as amazing and wonderful; it can also mean having a deep understanding of how important it is and being unwilling to brush it off as common. Respecting a person means paying close attention to what they're saying and not glancing at your watch to see when you can take your leave. Respecting the gift of storytelling would probably include making quality time for writing and not going about it with a "ho-hum" attitude. And respecting a story (particularly the one currently being worked on) would mean not forgetting what potential it has to be fantastic, giving it time and focus, and sticking with it until it's finished.
    Being able to have this kind of respect is great not only because it helps us keep working on the story to the end, but because the ability to respect something is a really strong character aspect. It makes us better as writers and as people!
    So what are your thoughts? Has respect for writing or the story itself been the vital thing that's ever kept you from giving up?

Nahum 1:7

 

"The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him."

Nahum 1:7 (NKJ)

    It's awesome how this verse is phrased to say that God not only protects us, but "He knows those who trust in Him." Because it's one thing to know you're being protected, like a law defends someone's rights, but when the one protecting you actually knows you, it's so much more personal and secure. It's like being put under the watch of a guardian or parent; they not only care about you deeply, but they know your strengths and weaknesses; which way is best to take and what things that need to be avoided at all costs.
    And the Lord knows us! Isn't that a wonderful blessing? :)

A Couple Thoughts on Deadlines

    We all know a little bit about deadlines. We've had them in school whenever there was work to do outside of class, but the projects and essays that have later deadlines were always a little more stressful than the regular homework, right? Because even though there's a lot more time to do it, there's a lot more work too, and there's a serious pressure to do that work instead of using that lovely time to do more interesting things. And when a person is prone to procrastinating, and they find themselves working to finish it on the last day, they're pushed into doing something that feels totally uncomfortable: forcing oneself to write something because there's a terrible consequence if they don't.
    But deadlines aren't all bad and stressful; there are a lot of good aspects about them too. Overall, they can help a person be motivated to not be lazy, and it does get a job done by a specific time. But there are also certain upsides to different kinds of deadlines--ones that involve our own writing projects instead of academic work. For example:
    Writing group-related deadlines. Writing groups are awesome! We get to hang out with writer friends, and we can share writings to get feedback; everybody benefits! But of course nobody would want to be waiting a long time to get that precious feedback, so there's doubtlessly always an agreement to have comments/thoughts and new writing ready by the next meeting. But a great thing about having a deadline like this is that the people holding us to it are fellow writers. And fellow writers can understand writer issues that might cause a temporary delay (like severe writer's block or just sudden busyness in life) and be sympathetic. Plus, writing with the knowledge that someone is looking forward to reading the work is an extra pulse of motivation!
    Writing workshops and/or conferences. There's one coming soon in the area I live in, and I'm working like crazy to have something ready to bring. The approaching deadline is definitely a little stressful, and it can't be moved to a later date because it's an official event, but it's not all worrisome and full of pressure because the event is an exciting thing! Writing workshops and conferences are an adventure to look forward to, like going off to college or heading on a dream vacation. And preparing for it is like packing and re-packing a suitcase; you don't want to be sloppy or forget anything important, but it's still fun to prepare for because it's going to be so awesome!
    NaNoWriMo. It's so weird. A wonderful, wonderful, weird. Because NaNoWriMo takes something impossible (writing a whole first draft within thirty days) and manages to make it fun. It's a crazy, coffee/hot chocolate packed dash to make a word count, but the environment NaNo creates is so inspirational and encouraging that the process isn't just a haggard rush. There are tools to track your progress on the novel, a space to write little blurbs as if the book were already published, and there's a whole community to be part of. NaNoWriMo gives a quick, quick deadline, but it's thrilling all the way!
    Personal goals. Like starting a story in January and saying, "I want to have the first draft done by the end of March." This kind of deadline is great because it's one that a person makes for themselves based on a personal understanding. The goal doesn't just come from how fast a person can type in one instance; it's based on past experiences and a knowledgeable approximation of how much time a person would actually have for writing. Plus it's also flexible; if the goal-setter gets really sick or becomes tied up in a monstrously time-consuming project, they can stretch the deadline a little. And in the end, when the goal is met, there's an extra layer of satisfaction because sticking to a goal is an awesome skill, writing-wise and life-wise.
    There are so many deadlines and so many reasons to enjoy them! :) Isn't it cool?

Romans 14:9

 

"For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living."

Romans 14:9 (NKJ)

    The day of Easter, the day of our Lord's resurrection from the grave, is an awesome, awesome holiday! When that tomb was opened and people saw it empty inside, it showed the world that Jesus Christ is alive! That He defeated death, and that He won salvation to give to mankind, so that we could be saved from eternal death.
    And it also means something this verse proclaims: that when Christ rose again and created a way to salvation, He also became King of those He redeems. When He saved us and made us part of His family, He founded a future in which He'll rule as rightful King over a righteous, eternal kingdom! What a great day that'll be!
    So many good, good things happened on that first Easter Sunday; God is good! Amen?

Clarence Hall: "But it Won't Stay There"

The Lord went into a grave, but He didn't stay there! :D

"Easter says you can put truth in a grave, but it won't stay there."

~Clarence W. Hall

    What an interesting way to describe the Resurrection! Truth, put in a grave, but not able to be held there long.
    Jesus Christ is the Truth. In John 14:6, He even states it's one of His titles:"'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me'" (NKJ). And His claim is clearly supported by His actions and the affects of His actions. Never once has He spoken or suggested anything that isn't 100% true, and never once did He act hypocritically. His words hold all the answers to life's questions and dilemmas, and He's made ancient prophecies and mysteries clear and understandable. Even today, we can look at the world and then look at the Word, and things make a lot more sense.
    Indeed, Jesus Christ and the message of salvation He pronounced is truth for all time. And when His enemies arranged for Him to be crucified (unwittingly fulfilling prophecy) and His body was put in a tomb, He had died, but He didn't stay dead. On Easter Sunday, the tomb was empty; the grave couldn't hold Him. The Lord had risen from the dead, is still alive today, and His message lives on!
    So this analogy Clarence Hall has written is a really awesome way to think of one of the most important events in history. It's like a victory cry! Amen?
    Have a wonderful Good Friday!

Writing Games: Second Banana

Some people don't mind playing second banana to
someone equally or even more impressive than themselves;
is the protagonist of your current story one of them?

    We all know what it means to be a second banana, right? To be the Number Two person in a business, ranked just a little lower than the Number One. It's not a bad position to hold; in fact, it's rather distinguished, and the work is satisfying when you love it.
    But some people really can't bear playing second fiddle. Most of the time it's pride, but I think there are also situations where, being used to being in charge or flying solo, the person has to really work to let go of some instincts, and learn to submit to the leader.
    And since so many other things in real life appear in fiction, this second banana scenario must also be applicable to characters in a story, right? If a protagonist finds him/herself suddenly uprooted from their place in the spotlight and put on the sidelines, they'd probably have some difficulty adjusting. So what if that happened to the protagonist of the story you're writing now? What if someone just as (or even more) talented, interesting, unique, and virtuous came along and took charge? And what if that someone is the protagonist of another story?
    Therein lies the writing game! :) Taking a main character from a different work (an old manuscript, or a well-known, published story), putting them in a scene with the main character of the work you're currently writing, and making it so that the protagonist of the current story has to act as the sidekick.  What happens then? Would s/he feel content to yield to the other leader, or would they feel uneasy about not having control for once? Would they be okay with doing whatever the other suggests, or would they occasionally defy an order? Would they accept the other as their leader at all?
    They're interesting things to consider because there's definitely something that differentiates a protagonist character from a sidekick. Sherlock Holmes could definitely not fill the shoes of Doctor John Watson, nor vice versa. Their personalities and other aspects make them fit for their own roles. So putting a protagonist character in a situation where they try to play the role of sidekick could showcase their qualities that are better suited for leadership. If the character is antsy about not having control over what they're doing, it would indicate a confidence in their own decisions. And if the character, even when they approve of the leader, finds him/herself ignoring commands they don't trust completely, it shows that their concern is more focused on doing the job correctly and safely rather than pleasing someone else.
    So, what do you think? Would the protagonist of your current work do well as a second banana? Or are they too independent?

Zechariah 9:9

 

"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey."

Zechariah 9:9 (NKJ)

    What a great prophecy verse! It's poetic, joyful, and it's such a wonderful description of the Lord's coming to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.
    It was the arrival of the King of Israel, the Prince of Peace, the One who was prophesied of as the deliverer of His people. Yet in this first coming, He arrived on a donkey--which isn't exactly a regal or powerful animal--and He didn't have kingly robes or a following of warriors. But what He did have that Palm Sunday, as this verse in Zechariah proclaims, was an air of pure humbleness, the ability to reign perfectly as King, and what He came to give to the whole world was life (and soul) saving salvation!
    Which certainly makes a powerful and joyous appearance; amen?
    Happy Palm Sunday!

"Hilkiah the Priest Has Given Me a Book"

There's truly no book like the Book! :)

    The latter half of 2 Chronicles 34 is kind of set up like a dramatic story. Wicked kings had been reigning in the land for fifty-seven years, doing their very best to stamp out proper worship of the true God; but then King Josiah ascended to the throne and got to work in leading the nation back to the Lord. One of the things King Josiah did was start restoring the temple of God (which his predecessors had trashed and filled with profane idols), and while the reconstruction took place, something very significant was discovered.
    It was a copy of the Scriptures, the book listing all the instructions and statutes God gave His people. And it was taken to the royal scribe, Shaphan, right away in order to show the king what had been found. Once King Josiah had seen and had read the Scriptures, he quickly made sure the people also learned what it said. And in verse 34:33, it's said that for all of Josiah's lifetime, the people "did not depart from following the LORD God of their fathers" (NKJ).
    This story is so awesome on multiple levels! The very way that Hilkiah, Shaphan, and King Josiah all reacted when they found the precious word of God was fascinating. Hilkiah, the high priest, seemed surprised but elated to have discovered the Word of his God. Shaphan, when showing Josiah the rediscovered Scriptures, didn't have to explain what it was or even call it something like "the holy words of our God;" all he had to do was say, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book" to convey that it was the most important document ever written. Even the way King Josiah grieved after he read the Scriptures--because he compared the current quasi-pagan traditions to what God had actually instructed them do to--is a huge deal because it shows he took every word to heart. He didn't come across something he didn't like and think, "well, that's not a huge rule that needs to be followed; we can overlook it." No, he was determined to obey it to the letter. All three of the people mentioned in this story showed God's word the absolute respect and obedience it deserves; it's great when that happens!
    And another incredible thing about this story is the way it shows how God can protect His Word. Today there are so many people who say that the Bible is "nice" but not absolute truth because supposedly the translations it's been given have mixed up the meaning of the message. But this 2 Chronicles account--and just the plain logic that the God who sculpted the entire world out of nothing probably wouldn't fail to keep His truth available to people--shows how He can keep His Word completely intact, no matter what. Kings Manasseh and Amon had apparently been so thorough in their attempts to bring down worship of the true God that the high priest was shocked to find a copy of the Law in his hands. But as powerful as the wicked rulers had been, God was clearly stronger, and as always, His good will prevailed.
    The whole dramatic element of this story is also a really fascinating part as well. After so many years of darkness, finding a sole surviving copy of the Scriptures was the spark that began an age of light and obedience. And the fact that there was possibly just one surviving copy that made it possible to revive a whole nation to God's ways is incredible! It's something you'd think could only happen in fiction; something that only God could accomplish in real life.
    Isn't it an awesome event in Israel's history? What aspect of this story do you find most impressive?

Writer Things I've Learned from a Computer Dilemma

When your computer dies, what's your Plan B:
another computer, or the good old fashioned pen?

    I've had a writer's crisis recently. The "pinwheel of death" appeared on my computer, followed by a complete freeze, and then everything on screen faded to black. Eventually I learned that the hard drive had basically died, which meant that everything I had on my computer was also essentially dead.
    Fortunately, all of my good manuscripts were safe on a flashdrive, so it wasn't a complete writing tragedy (plus, all the half-baked first drafts I'd be ashamed to reread were gone!). But accounting the time I spent trying to fix the computer myself and the short time the repair place took to resolve the problem, I was without my computer for a little over a week. That's not exactly a long time, but since I'm a student who writes on a blog and has a manuscript to finish before a certain date, sitting back and doing nothing writing-related during that whole week wasn't an option. Doing computer (and writer) related things called for jumping through hoops, which wasn't fun. But the whole experience sure did teach me some important lessons for the next time the pinwheel of death appears.
    Be prepared for the worst before it happens. Since system failures happen without warning, it's good to have a well-thought-out plan set up beforehand. And not just an idea of where to go to get at another computer (like to the library, or to a friend/family member), but it's important to think about when you'd use the computer, and for how long. At first when I was computer-less, I borrowed a family member's laptop. However, I hadn't really thought things through, and I failed to consider how the time I would need to use her laptop would stretch beyond its availability. She needed it too, and using it for uninterrupted hours like I usually do on my own would be selfish. So I had to cut back on how much time I gave each task, and skip working on a few things completely.
    Have a backup computer that will be available. Fortunately though, there was another computer in the house with far more availability. It was a very old one that we used a lot about a decade ago, but nobody was using it when I needed a computer. Now since this thing was so old and worn down from years and years of daily use, it had a couple tiny problems (like a broken A key; that complicated things a bit). And since I was unfamiliar with the laptop, my hands kept brushing the mousepad and moving the cursor to another line (which got annoying very quickly). But considering how it gave me internet access, a word processor, and all the time I needed to work, it was a very good thing to have ready.
    Always have a backup of your files. As I mentioned before, all my precious manuscripts had been saved on a flashdrive before the problems started. But once I actually had to completely start over when I got my computer back (the damage was so severe that they had to wipe it), I realized that there actually were a couple files I hadn't saved but probably should have. Like my study notes from the past three months, my photos, and the sketches I'd done with Paint. It'll definitely take some time to replace the most important things, and some of them can't be replaced at all. And if my computer had crashed while a major essay was due soon, and I lost the essay . . . it would be very, very, very unfortunate. So from now on, all good/important documents will go into a flashdrive ASAP!
    Keep writing; on paper when necessary. When I was still trying to use my family member's computer and not rudely take up too much time, it was very tempting to take a backseat on writing until I had my own computer back. But one or two days with zeroes in my word count log was a guilty reminder that it isn't good to choose not to write when you still can. And even without a computer, there is a way to keep writing; it's with a pencil and paper. Writing something by hand takes longer, and the quality might not be as good for the first draft, but anything is better than nothing. And even a short, lower-quality piece of writing can be useful when one can type again.
    Computer problems really stink. But at least lessons can be learned from them, and those lessons can give us measures to take in order to prevent problems the next time dilemmas like that happen.
    Have you ever had serious computer problems? How did you handle it as a writer?

Philippians 1:6

 

"Being confident in this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ."

Philippians 1:6 (NKJ)

    This verse is such an awesome promise!
    It says that we can put absolute trust in the fact that God will keep working in us to make us stronger and to accomplish great things, and it also states that this work will be complete just in time. Which means that it's completely unnecessary to worry about running out of time, provided that we're following the Lord and working hard. And we don't have to feel discontent about our flaws all of the time either, because the Lord will keep helping us overcome them. And this is a promise we can really believe completely because the one making it is God.
    And our awesome God is always right! Amen? :)