It's so easy to make promises,
words, words that come out so easily,
ideas that form in your mind
and grab your heart
and fill you with excitement
that reaches down to your fingertips.
But it's one thing to see the sunlight.
Walking on the sun is something else.
You can gaze deeply in the mirror
and see all the potential,
all the ability and enthusiasm,
and you can shout it out to the world.
But if it stays in the mirror
it is nothing,
only a reflection,
a dream that could have been,
a promise forgotten as soon as spoken.
You have to break the glass.
The glass is thick.
When it shatters
the edges are sharp.
You might bleed.
But then the words can step out,
become alive,
the promise can take form
and walk and breathe and dance.
The life that comes out through the shards
may not look exactly like the reflection
that you thought would greet you.
But it can be beautiful,
it can have life.
Just break the glass.
***
This poem, written very spontaneously and quickly, is my apology for already failing at my resolution to post once a week, and my determination to be faithful, even if my attempts don't always meet my own expectations. It's very easy to talk, very hard to do. But that should never keep us sitting down.
James 1:22 - 25
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Friday, January 3, 2014
New Year's Revolution
Resolution - "the act or process of resolving," "the act of determining," "a formal expression of opinion, will, or intent voted by an official body or assembled group"
Revolution - "the usually violent attempt by many people to end the rule of one government and start a new one," "a sudden, extreme, or complete change in the way people live, work, etc."
(Definitions from merriamwebster.com)
At the start of a new year, we make resolutions - we determine to make changes. We have the will and intent to do things differently. Maybe it's being healthier, finding a job, spending more time with family, reading a certain number of books...it can be pretty much anything. But basically, there are things we want in our lives, and we want to pursue them. Usually, we want to pursue them more diligently than we did last year.
But let's admit it, lots of us (not all, but lots) start off with gusto and then burn out - some sooner than others. We often have the preconceived notion that resolutions get broken, so much so that it's almost become a joke.
But a resolution is supposed to be a change, and if we're serious, we at least want it to be a serious change. We want a revolution.
So let's start by revolting against the idea that we can't keep our resolutions anyway. And then let's revolt against those things that we don't want in our lives - the things we've failed in and need to do better.
Are we going to make a miraculous and sudden change and be everything we wanted? Definitely not. Are we going to burn out in enthusiasm? Probably.
But a resolution is about a determination - not a happy feeling or instant success. It takes work, little steps at a time - like a revolution.
Honestly, I've never been one to make "New Year's resolutions." I've always kind of scoffed at the notion. But this year, I knew that there were a few things that I definitely wanted and needed to do differently. And a new year, just for its sake as a milestone, is a great place to determine to change.
So what are my resolutions?
Every Day:
- Read God's Word and find at least one specific application point
Every Week:
- At least one blog post
- At least three entries in either my poetry or fiction notebook
This Year:
- Read through the Bible
- Read at least thirty books
- Finish writing Point of Madness
Every Moment:
- Love others
- Love God more, be who He wants me to be
I resolve to revolt.
Revolution - "the usually violent attempt by many people to end the rule of one government and start a new one," "a sudden, extreme, or complete change in the way people live, work, etc."
(Definitions from merriamwebster.com)
At the start of a new year, we make resolutions - we determine to make changes. We have the will and intent to do things differently. Maybe it's being healthier, finding a job, spending more time with family, reading a certain number of books...it can be pretty much anything. But basically, there are things we want in our lives, and we want to pursue them. Usually, we want to pursue them more diligently than we did last year.
But let's admit it, lots of us (not all, but lots) start off with gusto and then burn out - some sooner than others. We often have the preconceived notion that resolutions get broken, so much so that it's almost become a joke.
But a resolution is supposed to be a change, and if we're serious, we at least want it to be a serious change. We want a revolution.
So let's start by revolting against the idea that we can't keep our resolutions anyway. And then let's revolt against those things that we don't want in our lives - the things we've failed in and need to do better.
Are we going to make a miraculous and sudden change and be everything we wanted? Definitely not. Are we going to burn out in enthusiasm? Probably.
But a resolution is about a determination - not a happy feeling or instant success. It takes work, little steps at a time - like a revolution.
Honestly, I've never been one to make "New Year's resolutions." I've always kind of scoffed at the notion. But this year, I knew that there were a few things that I definitely wanted and needed to do differently. And a new year, just for its sake as a milestone, is a great place to determine to change.
So what are my resolutions?
Every Day:
- Read God's Word and find at least one specific application point
Every Week:
- At least one blog post
- At least three entries in either my poetry or fiction notebook
This Year:
- Read through the Bible
- Read at least thirty books
- Finish writing Point of Madness
Every Moment:
- Love others
- Love God more, be who He wants me to be
I resolve to revolt.
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Dusting Off the Inkwell
Hello, 2014.
Strange, that it's been almost a year since I "jumped in" with this blog...a blog that lasted, barely, for about two months. I think my jumping in turned into tripping (or just plain crashing and burning). I went through a period of guilt and remorse, berating myself for never posting. Then I got too busy with school and life to really worry about it anymore. And without any more guilt, I lost motivation. So nothing happened.
So here, on Christmas break, when I finally found I had time on my hands, the guilt came back. I remembered that I had a blog, and I remembered that pile of things I wanted to write that are still bottled up inside me, impatiently straining to come out.
The problem is, that doesn't just go for my blog. I'm a writer who hasn't been writing. And it hurts.
2013 was a crazy year. Don't get me wrong, it was beautiful - I made some of the greatest memories of my life. But it was still crazy. Most of that craziness came from graduating from my beloved community college, working full time during the summer, living in two different houses, and then moving across the country to start at a brand new university. At school, especially as an English/Creative Writing major, I was constantly reading and writing, so whenever I got a rare stretch of free time, I felt a little burnt out on those activities. During the summer I did a good bit of reading and some writing, but was, in a general sense, very tired and lacking motivation.
So, in short, a pathetically small amount of writing was done this year. My poetry journal had a nasty gap from May to November with absolutely nothing written. My biggest fanfiction I've ever written, still in progress, hasn't had a new chapter posted in six months. (Ew. Still cringing about that one.) The story ideas in my head have received next to no development. And the blog sat collecting cobwebs. (Or crashing on a friend's couch eating soup, which became a sad joke.)
Conclusion? Enough is enough.
The muse is finicky. She values consistency. She can get pretty annoyed. And she doesn't stay around if you don't put forth an effort to meet with her.
So, I know life isn't going to slow down, and I'm not going to magically find more time. But I do want to be more diligent in how I use my time, and I want to be diligent in writing - in multiple formats - even when the warm and fuzzy motivation is completely lacking.
I'm inviting my muse back, and determining to be a more faithful host.
Strange, that it's been almost a year since I "jumped in" with this blog...a blog that lasted, barely, for about two months. I think my jumping in turned into tripping (or just plain crashing and burning). I went through a period of guilt and remorse, berating myself for never posting. Then I got too busy with school and life to really worry about it anymore. And without any more guilt, I lost motivation. So nothing happened.
So here, on Christmas break, when I finally found I had time on my hands, the guilt came back. I remembered that I had a blog, and I remembered that pile of things I wanted to write that are still bottled up inside me, impatiently straining to come out.
The problem is, that doesn't just go for my blog. I'm a writer who hasn't been writing. And it hurts.
2013 was a crazy year. Don't get me wrong, it was beautiful - I made some of the greatest memories of my life. But it was still crazy. Most of that craziness came from graduating from my beloved community college, working full time during the summer, living in two different houses, and then moving across the country to start at a brand new university. At school, especially as an English/Creative Writing major, I was constantly reading and writing, so whenever I got a rare stretch of free time, I felt a little burnt out on those activities. During the summer I did a good bit of reading and some writing, but was, in a general sense, very tired and lacking motivation.
So, in short, a pathetically small amount of writing was done this year. My poetry journal had a nasty gap from May to November with absolutely nothing written. My biggest fanfiction I've ever written, still in progress, hasn't had a new chapter posted in six months. (Ew. Still cringing about that one.) The story ideas in my head have received next to no development. And the blog sat collecting cobwebs. (Or crashing on a friend's couch eating soup, which became a sad joke.)
Conclusion? Enough is enough.
The muse is finicky. She values consistency. She can get pretty annoyed. And she doesn't stay around if you don't put forth an effort to meet with her.
So, I know life isn't going to slow down, and I'm not going to magically find more time. But I do want to be more diligent in how I use my time, and I want to be diligent in writing - in multiple formats - even when the warm and fuzzy motivation is completely lacking.
I'm inviting my muse back, and determining to be a more faithful host.
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