Beloved:
Text from Chris: Did you send me the Preacher Woman weekly note? I have the newsletter article, but I can’t find the weekly note.
Text from Pastor Nancy: Well, I had it nearly finished…and then I got interrupted…and then when I got back to it, it no longer felt right, so….
Earlier in the week, I got on a roll with my writing. It felt like the words were spilling out so quickly that all I had to do was type fast and let ‘er rip. I love it when that happens! Ideas, creativity, images, metaphors—spilling out and over the page as quickly as I can scoop them up and put them on the page! I would love it if I felt that way every day. It is exhilarating, and one of my favorite experiences in my life as a writer. But it doesn’t happen all the time. At least, it doesn’t happen all the time for me. And then there are times like this week—when I was in the zone—that sweet spot where it is all working, and my fingers are flying—and then life happens.
By the time I got back to what I was working on, I no longer felt the fire. I re-read. Tried adding some sentences. Delete. delete. delete. Start again. Wrote some more. Rearranged a paragraph. Delete. delete. delete.
When this happens, I know it is time to step away. It feels very much like when I am peeling an egg and the shell will not come off in big pieces, but shatters into tiny little islands of shell that I have to remove piece by piece. Even then, I may destroy the smoothness of the cooked egg white. Painstaking. Irritating. Maybe I don’t want deviled eggs anyway. I think I will just make a sandwich.
I could give up, and just tell Chris “I got nothin’.” And sometimes that is okay. But the thing is—I do got somethin’! Lots of somethins’! So, I sit with the blank page of the screen, and I wait. I watch the blinking cursor. I write. Delete. delete. delete. And I write some more. Delete. delete. delete. And, this morning I have the added blessing of Mike bringing in more coffee as needed. Drink coffee. Write more. Delete. delete. delete.
(Now watch, as I make this silliness into something…)
This week we are talking about Gifts. Such a familiar comforting word. I love receiving a gift that someone has spent some time thinking about. I love giving gifts even more. And as a follower of Jesus, I love the idea that when we give of our resources in love and intention. But that is only a small portion of what this word means when we consider what it is we have signed up for when we promise our “gifts” to one another. Gifts are not just the things we give to make sure ministry happens. Part of it? Oh yes! An important part. Gifts are also those abilities and passions we receive from the Holy Spirit so that the work of God happens in the world. We often mistake spiritual gifts for natural ability. But think about it. A spiritual gift is one given by God for the good of the community and world. It may be something that comes once and then is gone. It may be something that no one in their wildest imagining could expect. AND we all have them. And WE all have them. And we ALL have them. And we all have THEM.
They may come in a storm of passion, creativity, excitement and joy. Or it may feel like peeling that stupid egg. But no matter how it comes, we know from whom it comes. And I can’t wait to think about it together. See you Sunday. Blessings, Pastor Nancy.
P.S. Still working on the one I started. Will let you know.
Madras United Methodist Chrch 