Nine Days Later

Dear God,

This past week  or so was full of many surprises both good and tough and I did not have the opportunity to write much. However, my head is full of thoughts so I've not quit simply because I'm behind in the game.

NaNoWriMo has felt more like "Nah! No Write No Mo" this week but I've come up with a plan. It's a little tool I used to employ when I was plagued with arthur-write-us due to Lupus; it's called "Dragon Naturally Speaking". Heaven knows I can talk a mile a minute to someone I know very well and since I've been known to talk to myself and I know myself well, I think together we can make this happen.

Oh, God. I'm glad You have a sense of humor and that You seem to let my dreams play Hide and Seek with me. I'm also thankful that You keep life running so fast and full that I have so much about which to write. Maybe You want me not to be so serious and to use this over-tired brain to write comedy. It seems to be all that I can muster these days. So, well, I'm in for the ride.

Maybe I will write a comedy mystery romance how-to sci-fi novel with a twist of historical fiction. Ya, that oughta do it. Then I can enter it in every contest I find online so that I can once again receive the familiar rejection letters I used to see so often. You know how much I need my daily dose of rejection. But You--You love me no matter how many words I write or how novel my ideas sound and You--You already know my heart so that when I am too tired to make any sense, You have heard my prayer and answered before I have even spoken a whisper of it.

Thank You, Father for loving little ol' writer-me and showing me that I am not what I do but  who You made me, a person made in Your image. Though I can only see  the me that is still in the depths of the molding process, in Your eyes, I am a masterpiece. Thank You.

Now I ask that You allow me to see the world through Your eyes enough to know what Your plan is for my writing, whether it be to write a novel, an article, steady chatter for my companions or some brilliant work of words that touches a million hearts. I give this gift that You have given me back to You for Your use, Your goals, Your purpose and for Your glory.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

Day One, Prayer-Confessions of an Aspiring Novelist

Dear God,The Author and Finisher of ALL things,

Did you know a human could truly write several thousand words without editing and survive it? I didn't. In fact, I assumed that most unplanned writing was not worth reading but pure drivel. Perhaps some of it is. I just never thought I could write that way.

 But I can because of Your help. How weird is that? No editing. Well it's suppose to be "no editing" but I just couldn't help myself 100% of the time.You know that, of course. You made me and knew that I would obsess about doing it right, but through Your grace, I did it. I  imprisoned the ciritical side of my brain and let the creative thoughts flow. That HAD to be Your handiwork there.

Here's what I found: in writing, I am a very big plotter, planner and editor, so much so that I edit myself right out of writing the story at times. Next, I've also discovered that writing is a great deal like life in that one cannot micro-manage it or it will never go anywhere and one will always be frustrated and uptight. Some planning is helpful but too much of it stifles the creative flow of the story.

So, I did it. I wrote my first day's worth of writing for National Novel Writing Month as a seat-of-the-pants style novel. Wow. It feels good. (unless you count the occasional one eyebrow I raised as I told myself not to correct things yet.) The time will come in December to edit. This month is all about the writing. It's so revitalizing to my soul. I've missed this part of me. I was lost but now I'm found. Only a writer could understand that statement in relationship to this topic. You understand. You are THE ULTIMATE author, only--You never lost Your vision or thoughts. You always had us in mind even before we were formed in our mothers' wombs. You wrote the words of our Life Book. You knew I would want to be a writer. You even knew (when I didn't know) that I could write creatively if I stopped over-planning.

 I can't sit and revel in it though because I have several thousand more words to write this month and this type of writing is new to me. So I'm going to need a little help freeing up my schedule and my busy brain if You want me to do this.

I have no idea how it will turn out in the end but at least for now the process has begun and I am finding my creative juices have not totally dried up.  I'm not being proud-just happy, happy to find something to enjoy and delight in. As my friend and I discussed tonight, we are made in the image of You, our Creator. You create and  are pleased with Your creation. We were designed to create and be pleased with our creation. Because we are human, we have the chance of being displeased with our work  periodically but when we take the time to relax and keep creating, eventually we will produce something that makes us smile with satisifaction. That is because You made us in Your image. In those ways, we are like You.

 I've heard it said that we are most like You when we play and create--more so then when we work ourselves like dogs. Even You rested on the seventh day to enjoy what You had made.

It's not proud, is it, to be glad God gave you a gift to use and to use it? It's an insult to not use it and not believe that You knew what You were doing when You gave gifts to men. How much more intimate we become with You, our Creator when we realize that You created us each to have such pleasure in creation of our own. How endearing it is. What insight it is into Your character!  When we see what we create and are pleased, we know a smidgen of the feeling that You have for us when in Ephesians You say we are Your masterpieces. Amazing.

Well, I've not created any masterpieces yet but I have seen the beauty of Your wisdom in creating each of us with our own creative bent. How wonderful it must feel for You to see one of Your children delighting in the gift prepared for them from the foundations of the earth. It's just like we feel when we see our children enjoying a gift that we labored for them to have. We don't resent them for enjoying it. We smile with glee to see what joy it brings them.

Thank you, God for the gift of writing. May this novel writing journey bring praise and delight to You who created me to love linguistics and  made me a scribe of life's events and innovative ideas. If for nothing but the mere pleasure of reading and writing the words, may I always use this gift as a reminder that You love ME. Yes, Me. You loved me enough to create a gift that You knew I would love for all of my days. May it not only be pleasing to me but may it be a blessing to others as well.  Thank You, God.

Love,

Your Daughter

NaNoWriMo

Note: Yes, this is really me. I've been on a long haitus. Life swamped me with responsibility. I'm still swamped but I've decided that the topic of this post is the way I can jump back in to the pool of writing again.

 NaNoWriMo.  WHAT????  What kind of baby talk is that? Oh, maybe it's another language. That's what I first thought several years ago when I heard about NaNoWriMo. A few of my friends participated. Then the next few years, they participated again.Me. I watched with wonder and felt unworthy for the task. I still do but I'm putting on the hip-waders and jumping in this year because--well--this year is different. It's not because I have any less responsibility weighing on my schedule but because I decided I'm tired of not pursuing my dreams and I'm just gonna go for it, no holds barred.

So... this year is the year. I am going to sign up for NaNoWriMo. Here's some info on it. http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/whatisnano

Who else is with me?