Funny thing...
Sometimes all it takes is a little nudge.
Our local newspaper, the Tacoma News Tribune, started in 2000 to solicit a group of reader columnists, whose pieces would run on Mondays by rotation. Two years ago, after a lot of mental back-and-forth, I decided that I wanted to try to be one of them, and submitted two sample columns. I was not selected, but the editor in charge of the selection committee, with whom I was personally acquainted, was very encouraging. With more advance time (read: I decided sooner) last year, I tried again. I wrote one piece to be light-hearted and one to be thoughtful. Again, I was not selected; the numbers of submissions grew larger every year. The same editor let me know that I had made all but the last cut, and I appreciated knowing that.
This year, I saw the annual notice, "Wanted: reader columnists" and felt no pull to compete. Part of that may have been that we had become the emergency temporary guardians of our youngest grandson while his parents' military obligations overlapped where they were supposed to dovetail. I am called to teach a stake Relief Society institute class, and suddenly my preparation time was hard to find, my physical disabilities were challenged, and I could not imagine having the luxury of sitting and tinkering around with a column which I probably wouldn't get anyway. This young one was 11 months old when he arrived with his mother and is now 13 1/2 months old and way too tall, too bright, too active, too inquisitive and intent on finding, pulling down, and, and wrecking everything about him. And much more fun and more important than anything else I could have been doing. But time on my hands right now? Hah!
I have not been very consistent in keeping a journal, even though it's something I know I should do. I have a major project which I put aside for too many years, which I had pulled out to try and pick up again, but inertia got in the way. (That was before the baby came. All efforts in that direction are on hold.) I really do want to get back to my writing, and maybe writing something here will be a catalyst for writing other things.
The name of my blog? I have had a song, "His Eye is on the Sparrow," running through my head and humming through my days this weekend. It derives from Luke 12:6-7, "Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs on your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; ye are of more value than many sparrows." My intention is that this spot in the ether will be about the tender mercies, the small miracles, and the quiet blessings which our Father offers to our lives. It takes quiet moments to recognize those gifts which we are individually offered. I pray often to see the hand of the Lord in my life, and I want to line up those answers. I hope for a little wisdom and sometimes some fun. I may put up some of my poems, some memories, some musings. Maybe I'll throw out some recipes too. But I am primarily concerned with the things I learn in the process of living and serving.
I have responded/contributed to a forum called "Circle of Sisters" on www.meridianmagazine.com and followed Kathryn Kidd, its leader? writer? moderator? all of the above, to her new blog, www.planetkathy.com and eventually got bold enough to chime in there. I appreciate her welcoming encouragement in both places. I very much hope to be able to meet and talk face to face with her someday. The occasions where I have sent some thoughts in either direction have been meaningful to me. I had not consciously realized that this (a blog) was something I wanted to do until now.
Reminiscent of Orson Scott Card's delightful dedication to his book, A Planet Called Treason, years ago,
Kathy : it's all your fault!
Our local newspaper, the Tacoma News Tribune, started in 2000 to solicit a group of reader columnists, whose pieces would run on Mondays by rotation. Two years ago, after a lot of mental back-and-forth, I decided that I wanted to try to be one of them, and submitted two sample columns. I was not selected, but the editor in charge of the selection committee, with whom I was personally acquainted, was very encouraging. With more advance time (read: I decided sooner) last year, I tried again. I wrote one piece to be light-hearted and one to be thoughtful. Again, I was not selected; the numbers of submissions grew larger every year. The same editor let me know that I had made all but the last cut, and I appreciated knowing that.
This year, I saw the annual notice, "Wanted: reader columnists" and felt no pull to compete. Part of that may have been that we had become the emergency temporary guardians of our youngest grandson while his parents' military obligations overlapped where they were supposed to dovetail. I am called to teach a stake Relief Society institute class, and suddenly my preparation time was hard to find, my physical disabilities were challenged, and I could not imagine having the luxury of sitting and tinkering around with a column which I probably wouldn't get anyway. This young one was 11 months old when he arrived with his mother and is now 13 1/2 months old and way too tall, too bright, too active, too inquisitive and intent on finding, pulling down, and, and wrecking everything about him. And much more fun and more important than anything else I could have been doing. But time on my hands right now? Hah!
I have not been very consistent in keeping a journal, even though it's something I know I should do. I have a major project which I put aside for too many years, which I had pulled out to try and pick up again, but inertia got in the way. (That was before the baby came. All efforts in that direction are on hold.) I really do want to get back to my writing, and maybe writing something here will be a catalyst for writing other things.
The name of my blog? I have had a song, "His Eye is on the Sparrow," running through my head and humming through my days this weekend. It derives from Luke 12:6-7, "Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs on your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; ye are of more value than many sparrows." My intention is that this spot in the ether will be about the tender mercies, the small miracles, and the quiet blessings which our Father offers to our lives. It takes quiet moments to recognize those gifts which we are individually offered. I pray often to see the hand of the Lord in my life, and I want to line up those answers. I hope for a little wisdom and sometimes some fun. I may put up some of my poems, some memories, some musings. Maybe I'll throw out some recipes too. But I am primarily concerned with the things I learn in the process of living and serving.
I have responded/contributed to a forum called "Circle of Sisters" on www.meridianmagazine.com and followed Kathryn Kidd, its leader? writer? moderator? all of the above, to her new blog, www.planetkathy.com and eventually got bold enough to chime in there. I appreciate her welcoming encouragement in both places. I very much hope to be able to meet and talk face to face with her someday. The occasions where I have sent some thoughts in either direction have been meaningful to me. I had not consciously realized that this (a blog) was something I wanted to do until now.
Reminiscent of Orson Scott Card's delightful dedication to his book, A Planet Called Treason, years ago,
Kathy : it's all your fault!
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