Quotable Quotes

“Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia.”
~ E.L. Doctorow

A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.

- Oscar Wilde

Month of November

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

3 Days of Novel-Writing Insanity

It's almost here. My heart has been going through these periods of leaping about in nervous palpitations; however, I cannot say that is altogether unhealthy for me.

Last year's contest was an intro into a whole new world of writing. And with no safety gear to protect me from the aftermath. Moreover, I find that it was one of the best things to ever happen to me!

Life is a beautiful, chaotic, crazy, amazing mess when lived to as full a potential as is humanly possible. With God at the center?

I am pretty certain Life cannot get any better than this! :)

You know it's interesting to note that in times of spiritual high, sometimes it's also a time of great testing. Job was one of the most faithful, righteous men on earth and yet during his massive soul-searching journey, he also went through massive physical and Spiritual soul-surgery.

I have been feeling the pain of soul-surgery as God teaches me surrender at the highest levels. Yet He is gentle - SO gentle in his chastisement and unfailing love. Have you read Job lately? God's questioning of the man at the end definitely seems to have a bit of a sarcastically humorous twist to it. Though He tells Job to "Man up and shut his mouth", God could definitely have taught him in a harsh and punishing way if He so desired.

So this year's contest is not only going to stretch me physically, but I am really hoping - and praying - for a stretching of my spiritual senses. As is my experience with prayer in the past, I realize that I am praying for something that could very easily test me in ways I did not expect or even necessarily want. However, I have also come to learn that praying intentionally for God to do His work in me is never something I should fear.

In fact, it has always been a lesson that is only fully experienced and understood when I embrace it with everything that I am...

See? I told you I was learning about surrender. :-D

Monday, August 29, 2011

Writing with Purpose

Hey all my fine people!

Today, I would like to take the time to discuss purpose-driven writing.

If you are at all like me, writing is my passion. I write because I want to. In school, the worst assignments were the research papers. Not only could I not stand writing pre-assigned papers, but the grading system was usually based on the professor's own biases. If I failed to meet their standards, my paper fell flat. Fortunately, I learned early on how to BS my way through it - using exceptional vocabulary and a lot of fluff. (To any of my professors, I am so sorry for making you read that junk.) I sounded like I knew what I was talking about.

I could not tell you one word of the papers I wrote in college - they were burned quite ceremoniously when my State Boards result came back with FLYING colors. Apparently all I really learned about college writing is that you can bluff magnificently and still manage to take a completely unrelated test with little or no difficulty.

Now if only that bluffing business worked in a game of Texas Hold'em...my poker face is non-existent.

Back to my purpose for writing about purpose-driven writing...

I want everything I do to glorify God. Even if His name isn't actually in a 200 page manuscript I have penned, I want His influence to be indelibly seared into the inked pages. So I have decided that this year's 3 Day Novel contest will be my first true attempt at melding two of my Passions into one artistic, frenzied, INSANE weekend.

God and writing! What could be better?

Okay...not counting my kids and my wonderfully supportive husband who puts up with my madness. Or my social media communications manager... Or my mom who will most likely be babysitting for this event... Or...

You get the picture.

I have priorities of course. I am a wife and mother. I am a daughter, a sister, a friend. These are all hats that I am proud to wear. And they all change and influence my life in some way, shape, or form.

To write though...that's more than just a hat I wear. It's a talent that was given exclusively to me. Not to my husband (though he does write on occasion and it's good reading material). Not to my kids - they haven't even really learned their letters yet.

It is my gift - this passion for the written word. And I intend to USE it. For pleasure, for encouragement, for entertainment, for wisdom, and as a labor of love. If I am completely honest; yes, I would love to see my name in Lights as well.

Most of all, I want to write for Purpose. :-)

Okay, so now that I got that introduction out of the way. The weekend of Labor Day - September 3-5, 2011 - get ready to join me on my purpose-driven journey!

The Hannah Center is all about taking care of women in crises. James 1:27 (Message) says this:
Anyone who sets himself up as "religious" by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world.
 The Hannah Center does this well. Looking after those in need both spiritually and physically. I want to support that effort!

So I will be using my writing weekend frenzy as a platform with which to spread the word! I would love it if you joined me in this... Hannah Center Fundraiser! Just follow the link and it will take you to my Crowd Rise personal projects page. There you can make a donation of $10 or more to a ministry that truly shows the love of God to those who most need to see it! Just $15 can buy a canister of formula to feed a hungry baby. The Hannah Center uses volunteers and funds to offer room, board, transportation, clothing, baby necessities, and much more to women and children in the surrounding communities.

Don't hesitate! Life is precious and it is also brief...giving is a blessing that receives as much as it blesses others.

I know in these times of economic hardships, it is frightening and stressful to think of giving when your needs are so important! God sees this and He knows your needs. Even the smallest bit helps.

Thank you! I will be enjoy updating you all on the progress of my writing weekend AND the progress of my fundraising goals! :-)

God bless...

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Practice

Reflections on the Psalms

The Jews sinned in this matter worse than the Pagans not because they were further from God but because they were nearer to Him. For the Supernatural, entering a human soul, opens it to new possibilities both of good and evil. From that point the road branches: one way to sanctity, love, and humility, the other to spiritual pride, self-righteousness, persecuting zeal. And no way back to the mere humdrum virtues and vices of the unawakened soul. If the Divine call does not make us better, it will make us very much worse. Of all bad men religious bad men are the worst. Of all the created beings the wickedest is the one who originally stood in the immediate presence of God. There seems no way out of this. It gives new application to Our Lord's words about "counting the cost."
 The sin that the Jews supposedly committed in this passage was found in several rather violent Psalms in the Old Testament. If you listen or read the words of David or any of the other anonymous writers, often times they curse and rail and call condemnation on their enemies with a ferocity that would make a sailor blush. Though it just sounds like angry poetry to us English-speakers, in their own language the curses are obvious and grating.

And yet these telling, controversial passages are found in the Scriptures.

Hmmmmm...

I am not a perfect person and heck, I don't even come CLOSE to the furthest reaches of perfection. Long, long, long way to go. It's evident in my marriage and my parenting.

But I am NOT finished and I am definitely still excited to see where this journey takes me. I prefer consistent advances in maturity as opposed to sinless perfection. :-)

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Busyness

Time...24 hours in a day. 7 days a week, 52 weeks in a year. 365 (366 on leap) days in a year. And the human only lives to be about 90 years old - give or take a few...

Time management...is a lot harder than it looks. Sure those pretty, color-coded calendars and the PDAs and the schedule notifications are all well and good. It kind of helps to look at them though. I find myself so busy sometimes that I completely ignore the schedule in favor of keeping my head above water.


Time wasting...some days this is me. I call it breaking from the chaos and busyness. Most people would call it lazy. :) And yes, that is definitely a weakness of mine. I am great at "being" - not so great at "doing" unless it's something I am incredibly passionate about. I'm sorry, but there is nothing passionate about scrubbing a kitchen floor; especially when there is a two year old dropping the remnants of lunch, dried Play-Doh, and stickers (do you have any idea what a pain it is to get a sticker off of a hardwood floor?)


Point being...I like chaos and disorder. It's safe and easy and comfortable. Organization scares me and to be honest it's just intimidating and difficult to stick to.


That's why it's called a discipline. Something I need more of in my life. Another reason why I am starting this regular blogging, social networking, and writing.


Because someday...my kids are going to love order and structure...I will not allow myself to set them up for failure in this world by teaching them utter chaos. Doesn't work for me; sure as heck won't work for them. :)

Starting the Journey in Community


I have never felt the necessity of community living quite as strongly as I do now. No. Not communal. COMMUNITY. I did the communal thing as the oldest of seven children and let me tell you; sharing one bathroom was a nightmare.

What I am talking about is a network of friends, family, neighbors, acquaintances, and distant pen pals all connecting with one another based on common interests, ideals, dreams, and/or worldviews. A community (define: a social, religious, occupational, or other group sharing common characteristics or interests and perceived or perceiving itself as distinct in some respect from the larger society within which it exists)

I have a passion and a dream for writing. My imagination, creativity, and the hands with which to hold the pen, were all given to me by the Creator God to use for His glory – but also to use for the enjoyment and benefit of myself and others. 

Up until now, I have practiced my writing in relative anonymity, sharing only rarely with those I trust. Now, I am claiming this talent as my own God-given gift and no longer burying it in the sand where it cannot reap five, ten, or a hundred-fold the benefits of actively putting it to use.

I am asking you all to join me on this journey. Living with me through my joys and sorrows, my glorious successes and magnificent failures that all come as a package deal when pursuing a writing career. Lift my family up in prayer. (Coffee and the occasional meal is also most welcome, especially when my writing is at its peak. I won’t ask anyone to clean my house.) 

My heart is to eventually use my writing as an active source of income for my family and for furthering the Kingdom work in ministry. I am asking for your prayers, patience, love, and support. 

I am a beginner on this journey, but the beginning is the very best place to start! No matter what, I am confident that I can do nothing without the strong arm of God guiding me and the embrace of my amazing community supporting me.

Thanks. God Bless.

Sarah Peloquin