Last night I spent several hours just hanging out in our Barnes and Noble. Whenever I have a stressful week or day I take an evening off and head over to my favorite "vegging" spot. I love slowly walking the aisles and looking at all the newest releases and reacquainting myself with some old favorites. Often I will grab a book that strikes my fancy, settle into a chair, and lose myself in its pages. Last night was no exception.
However, as I was strolling the aisles, I was overwhelmed by the large number number of books sitting on the shelves. There were literally millions, if not billions, of pages containing opinions, stories, pictures, instructions, current events, historical documentation, biographies, classic tales, and reference material. Some were best sellers, others filled a niche only interesting to a few and some have yet to become popular. But all were labors of love for the authors.
As someone who enjoys writing, I have often thought I might want to write a book some day. However, I've always said I don't have that much to say...which is maybe more of an indictment on my personality then my writing, but I just don't think there's much left to say. What else could I possible contribute that hasn't already been pondered or explained? How many more self-help or how-to books do we possibly need?
I mean someone already wrote How to Become Latino in 10 Easy Steps, and I haven't lived with an Afghan family for a year so I couldn't write The Bookseller of Kabul. I don't know how to knit so I couldn't have written this and although I am strange at times I don't think I'm really a strange loop.
The experts always say to write what you know. What do I know? Well, that's the problem. I have many interests but few passions at this stage in my life. I think writing books are a natural extension of someone's passion for a particular subject. Sometimes they've experienced such a life-changing and dramatic experience they can't help but share that experience with others through the written word.
What I know right now is limited to 4-year old temper tantrums, girls on the brink of pre-adolescence and a non-speaking 2-year-old who likes to drool and throw. I'm afraid I have more questions than answers to offer.
But I'll keep writing and know that when the time is right, God will fill me with the passion and words for what He would have me write. It may not be books or magazine articles or anything that actually requires a printing press, and that's okay. Maybe it's a well-timed card of encouragement to a struggling mom or a letter to my daughter telling her how proud I am of a good choice she made. It could be telling the story of a miraculous healing in our church magazine or writing a children's Sunday school lesson.
Whatever the assignment, I'll be ready to give it my all for His call. That is a guaranteed formula for a bestseller every time!
Monday, April 02, 2007
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5 comments:
I've always admired your gift for writing and I know one thing....you are an expert at loving and serving moms, organizing, rumbling for day old bagels in the Panera parking lot, and showing me a Godly example of how not to totally freak out in the face of adversity (blue paint in the bedroom and guest speakers not showing up for MIA just to name a few)! Oh! You could also write a cookbook (Aunt Karen's potato casserole!!) and share your funny family stories for entertainment between recipes! So, there you have it....now you can start writing!
I think you got it right when you talked about "this stage" in your life. Obviously God has put this love of writing in you, but this may not be the right stage to write a book. Just think how much you will have to say and how much time you will have on your hands when the drooling stops. :) You have so many talents, be excited for all these neat stages God will move you through.
I think you are a great writer, very down-to-earth and genuine. I bet you'd write a good book. But it's okay to take your time and wait... now, our time and energy is meant to be spent on our tantrumy, pre-adolescent, drooling kids. :)
What I know right now is that you are uniquely positioned to be a lighthouse of encouragement, information and support to the women in your life - both physically and in the blogosphere.
You have a depth and maturity that goes beyond the drool and tantrums and hormonal surges. And because of that depth, you are raising extraordinary kids in an ordinary world. And you are fulfilling a call to challenge others to be extraordinary. That's a wonderful season to be in!
And when you do write that book - I'll be reading it! Even if we all have bifocals by then :)
This much I know - When God wants it to happen, it will happen. And though I've never met you, I feel I can agree with the statements these others have made who DO know you. I enjoy your writing and you seem like an amazing encourager!
I began speaking for moms groups in 2005 and when the idea first came to me I wrote in my journal, "How can I be a speaker? I've never written a book. I don't even have a book in me." I imagine God was chuckling when I wrote that. Just a year later I was writing my book and God is using it to encourage other moms.
All in His time. I've learned to never say "never"!
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