Try, Try Again!

It has been a long time since I’ve been in this place… listening to silence, facing my dear laptop and pouring my heart out through the pressing of these keys. The holidays, busyness, birthdays, death, the everyday of life… somehow pushed this passion of mine to the side. The “How” is pretty routine… the “Why” is more disturbing. Why did I not make this a priority? Why did I let the other stuff crowd out the habit of strengthening this gift? It’s hard not to “shoulda” myself, as a good friend reminded me yesterday… there’s nothing to be gained in berating myself for what has happened.

Just pick up and go on. So, this is me going on!

I don’t want life to swirl and then fly away and find me still sitting here doing nothing with what was given to me. I desperately want to chronicle what God has done and is doing even in the little everyday things. It’s a way to wrestle with and process what I really think as well as thinking big thoughts about life and God. I do know, however, that thinking big thoughts is not a new concept and there are a lot of really amazing Big Thinkers out there. I want to Think Big with the attitude of Doing Big. How do these big thoughts make it to doing big things? Now, of course… big is relative… sometimes big in my world is reorganizing a frustrating part of my kitchen and discovering a much more efficient workspace! Big might could also be processing the issues in this election and watching a debate through my worldview of Christ. As my prof would say, “Everything is Theological!” There is no dichotomy of spiritual and secular. (Thank you Mr. Eckel!)
I don't want to simply Think without the Doing part. Words without action??? Hey, didn't a guy named James write about that?! 

Hence the blog.

Yesterday, Chloe brought in the mail – which consisted of the local free newspaper. I opened it, looking for a coupon or advertisement from our local thrift store for their weekly deal. Along with the “buy one children’s clothing, get one free”, I found an article on a 78 year old local author who has written books based in Michigan as well as her travels to different states. She’d been telling stories to her children for many years, but she began to put down the stories in her mind and came up with 4 novels. WOW, is all I have to say! She described how she loved to take walks around her neighborhood and think up people who she could envision living in the houses she passed and soon she’d have a story and plot!

Now, I don’t fancy myself a novelist of any sort and I don’t typically tell made-up stories to my children, but I know I’m a writer who has to figure out what it is that she’s supposed to write. I’m pretty sure that means experimentation. As I tell my little boy who becomes very distraught if his first attempt doesn’t work, if at first you don’t succeed, try try again!

So, my reader, you may find yourself reading fictional stories of my imagination or hearing me process the election or just a funny story regarding one of my children… this writer needs to “try try again” to find her niche.

And as I do, I hope you enjoy the journey!