The Process

So it has been quite a while (over 4 years in fact) since I have blogged. It's been so long that last week when I was trying to find one of my old blog posts, I forgot what it was called and it took quite some effort to find it. In January, when I got my new google/gmail account, I started this blog page and have only one entry on my Nifty Fifty list. "What is the point of sharing all this?", you ask. I will tell you.

Last Saturday I went to a writing conference sponsored by Oregon Christian Writers. I learned about it from a Facebook share (thank you Kim) and thought it sounded interesting. It took about a week, and some serious prayer, to make the decision to go. I was especially excited because my friend Stephanie was going as well and we planned to go together. But as the event drew near, the voice of self doubt started. "What makes you think you can do this?" and "You've got nothing of value to say" and "Why would anyone care about or read what you wrote?" and "You're too old, too busy, too big for your britches." I came very close to calling Stephanie and backing out but instead I chose to put those doubts behind me and take part in the conference. And I am so glad I did.

Bob Welch was the keynote speaker in the two morning sessions and after lunch, there were many other Christian writers giving hour-long workshops. There were a variety of topics such as spiritual encouragement, self publishing, social media writing, foreshadowing, writing for Chicken Soup, and developing discipline as a writer. The last topic is why I am writing today.

I learned goals I should be setting as a writer. For me that means two blog post a months, 2-3 journal entries a week, and taking the rest of the year developing an outline on a specific topic. Now I just need to find a topic.

I learned how to manage my time to include writing on a regular basis. This means making writing appointments on my calendar, inking it in if necessary. I also need to evaluate when the best writing time is for me. I learned how to eliminate the things that inhibit writing. It's only been three days since the conference so I am still figuring out how all this will work.

But one of the most important things I learned is that the writing process is often more important than the writing product. And the last three days have proven this to be true in my life. This blog is not the first thing I have written in three days. Those writings are between me and God. But He has used the process of writing to Him and for Him as preparation for today's post. I am sure that this blog is full of grammatical errors and the final product is far from perfect but the One Who is preparing me for this work is perfect. What work might that be? Well I don't know exactly but I'm pretty sure it will include writing of some sort. Here are some verses that have really helped and encouraged me this week as I seek God's direction.

Philippians 2:13 "for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure"

2 Corintians 3:5 "Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but or sufficiency is from God,"

Hebrews 13:20-21 "Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen."

So as God prepares me, I pray you will be patient with this process. And I pray you will join me on this journey. I need a few sidekicks to shout down those negative voices and help me remember where I put things.

Nifty 50

I will be 50 years old in just a few short months. I don't want (or need) any big celebration. But I think I would like to do some fun, some simple, some off the wall, some gotta do it once kind of things to mark the occasion. My goal is to spend 2015 completing the following list of 50 things that meet the criteria.

 1.  Camp at Crater Lake
 2.  Spend a day hiking
 3.  Get a "wild" manicure/pedicure
 4.  Take a train
 5.  Go someplace in Washington I have never been.
 6.  Go someplace in Oregon I have never been.
 7.  Go somewhere in the US I have never been.
 8.  Sing Karioke....but not in a bar.
 9.  Learn to ride a motorcycle (yes, a scooter would qualify)
10.  Go on a mission's trip
11.  Go horseback riding - this is big because I am very afraid of horses.
12.  Learn Italian
13.  Take a cooking class
14.  Spend a day doing random acts of kindness
15.  Get a wild hair color....temporary, for like a day
16.  Get a massage.  I've had a few for physical therapy/health purposes, but I'm talking about a relaxed,        pampered, feel good massage.
17.  Try a new restaurant
18.  Family portrait
19.  Learn to shoot a gun
20.  Learn a ballroom dance with Jerry
21.  Zipline
22.  Host some kind of a theme party
23.  Ride the scariest ride at the fair (will probably have to go to Puyallup for this one)
24.  Give crocheting another shot and actually complete something
25.  Saturday Market....yes I've done this before too, but I like going.
26.  Run Butte2Butte or a Color Me Rad event
27.  Blow glass
28-31. Attend a UofO game for football, basketball, baseball, hockey
32.  Volunteer somewhere new
33.  Go for a bike ride
34.  Get a henna tattoo
35.  Bake a pie, from scratch, by myself
36.  Plant an herb garden
37.  Attend a local community theatre production
38.  Go to the Puyallup Daffodil Parade
39.  Spend a day antiquing/garage sales
40.  Hobby Lobby
41.  Midnight bowling
42.  Ice skating
43.  Pick berries
44.  Backyard bonfire
45.  Zumba class
46.  Try halibut
47.  Get my picture taken with Sluggo
48.  Go to Shore Acres at Christmas
49.  Learn calligraphy
50.  Record all my "adventures" in some kind of book &/or blog

After reviewing my list, I realize a couple of things:
     *I am gonna need some help from family and friends to get this all done.
     *Some things may need to be altered or modified to accomplish.
     *Fifty is gonna be awesome!