You Have to yell Action Before You Can Shout Cut

Today I tried to make a scene list for Soldier. This is a little trick I picked up from one of those "how-to" writing books. Don't get me wrong I think those kind of books can be very helpful, but they can also dry up my creative juices. Kinda like missing out on the full joy and power of Christianity because you look at it like a religion instead of  a relationship.

See I write the kind of books I want to read. So I like to have the sense of mystery when it comes to writing. Of course, I will never be that surprised because I know where I want to go with the plot.

I tried to figure out this scene list in just one short day, which is pure lunacy just on its own. You can't figure that much out in one day.

The problem that started this whole problem was that I would be writing dialogue or a scene that was way farther in the plot then I actually had on paper.

I didn't see this as productive.

So I tried to make it "legal" by creating a checklist, if you will, of scenes.

I didn't get to far.

I soon realized that I didn't really want to be doing this.

So what if I write something further ahead in the plot. I'm all for daily goals, schedules, personal quotas, and that sort of thing, but those are going to be hard scenes! Perhaps it is a blessing that my sub-conscious is already scheming them up, because those scenes are going to require a lot of work!

Back before Runaway didn't have its own title and was just "Part 1" someone told me writing is rewriting. That is about the truest statement I have heard outside of the Bible. The first manuscript of Runaway was nothing more than a detailed plot outline.

Although, things are not as bad for Soldier. Soldier, I know what needs to happen in this book and I know where I am going to cut it off, so part three can pick it up.

My problem is I am afraid to write garbage, I'm afraid that I will write something silly or stupid or, heaven forbid, unrealistic.

So instead of writing a brilliantly crafted, well organized masterpiece I write squat.

If there is one thing harder to work with than junk its nothing.

Oh that I could learn that!

I have the same trouble in my walk with Jesus. Well, what if Jesus wants me to do that? What if he doesn't want me to do this. I need to think about it some more, I need a sign, I need a nap, I need chocolate, I need Dr. Pepper.

Blah, Blah, Blah

There is a great episode of the old Dick Van Dyke show in which Rob and Laura hire a painter to repaint there living room. Only the painter is a real goof ball and hasn't accomplished much of anything through out the weeks of his employment. His employers aren't making much of a stand against his ways either.

So one night Rob and Laura are getting ready for bed, walking though the living room with its covered couches and tables, but no new paint.

Laura has just about had it and tells Rob, "You know what I'd wish you do?"

Rob looks at her expectantly.

"SOMETHING!"

Okay, I admit it, that was a long way to go for not a lot. But it so true. Think of the parable of the three servants in Matthew 25, the only servant that got yelled at was the one who didn't do anything with the money he had been getting.

The others did something with the cash. They invested it, they had success Jesus didn't say whither or not they encountered difficulties, but at least they took action. The master in the parable said, "Why didn't you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it." But what did the servant do instead? He buried the money in a hole out of fear.

I think that is something we have forgotten,

the power of action.

Through Heaven's Eyes

Monday night I decided to relive my childhood and watch The Prince of Egypt.  I loved that movie as a kid and still do!  One of the songs in the movie, Through Heaven's Eyes, gets stuck in my head so easily!  But God would use it to speak to me through out the week.

A funny thing happens when you get close to finishing a goal, even the smallest inconvenience and set-back can be blown up to some major problem.  Not to good for the old moral.  Tuesday the self-publishing company I am working with sent me an e-mail to tell me that they had the wrong card number for a payment.  Well you would have thought they had grabbed the money and ran they way I carried on about it.  

Even this morning I was still upset.  Mad that this would delay the printing of Runaway.  

"I've been working on this for five years!  Could it take any longer?"  I was a real jerk about it. 

But the Lord in all of his gracious mercy reminded me why I write.  

Of course I still had Through Heaven's Eyes fresh in my mind.  Naturally I listened to it on YouTube.  At last I leaned back and let my worries go for just a moment to focus on the lyrics.  Perhaps the part that got me the most was  "So how can you measure the worth of a man in wealth, or strength, or size? In  how much he gained or how much he gave?  The answer will come to him who tries to look at this life through heaven's eyes."  

That got me good.  

Although I wanted to get this book published and printed for God I was trying to hard.  As other prayer partners have told me by job is to write,   let God worry about card numbers, sales, and technical stuff.  Through heaven's eyes my true success in this matter would be measured by how much I trusted and relied on him.  

None of us are exactly on our own.  "The steps of the godly are directed by the LORD.  He delights in every detail of their lives." Psalm 37:21

My job is to write!

God is releasing me from all these burdens.  "For his yolk is easy and his burden is light."  That is Matthew 11:30.  

My job is to write.  

It has taken God a while to teach me that this gift of mine is to be used for his glory and purposes.  Before I tried to hide it from him, like a kid hiding a cool toy from his parents.  I was so stupid!  But that's okay cause when I'm not the brightest bulb on the tree it shows just how bright God is.  

My job is to write...for God.

And I will write for God.  That is my pride and joy.  

If those of you who are reading this someday read my book and think "Wow.  That's cool!"

Don't tell me I'm cool, that's Jesus' job.  Tell Jesus he is cool.  He made this book far more than what I had ever hoped.  He changed the plot...he created one.  I'll admit my first manuscript was a little lacking.  

But I just keep writing and writing and writing till finally five years later, it had become something I had would never have imagined back in 7th grade. AND I LOVED IT! 

I wonder if back then when I was just starting out, what I would have seen if I looked through Heaven's eyes more often?

God is good, my friends.