April 01, 2015

Keeping Fresh, Keeping Green by Sandi Somers

Prompt:In spring, the world turns fresh and green. How do you keep yourself and your writing fresh as you produce new articles, books or songs without burn-out or repeating the same ideas?

A New Way of Gardening
When I moved to my current house near the edge of Calgary, I had visions of beautiful flower beds with crocuses and tulips, with petunias lining my driveway, and with perennials filling the back yard.

It was not to be.

Gradually as new houses were built up around me, coyotes moved away, and as a result, rabbits increased. And to my dismay, most of my favourite flowers made delectable rabbit dinner. They also loved my lettuce, even carrot, onion and beet tops. As the rabbits got bolder, they hopped up on my porch and nibbled at my potted plants.

How could I keep my flowerbeds and garden fresh and green?

I asked for advice from gardening experts, got a list of rabbit-proof plants, and experimented with new flowers. However, the rabbits hadn’t read that list and ate some of my new “rabbit-proof” plants anyway.

At first it was discouraging, but as I developed a new system, I discovered pink geraniums and white alyssum made an attractive display. I put my petunias in tall pots. 

Like redoing my gardening, my writing sometimes needs to be revamped. Just recently I looked at several articles in progress and knew God has deeper answers to questions of faith than I had planned.

How to develop those thoughts that would encourage my readers? I began listening more carefully to my pastor’s sermons, discovering new seeds of meaning that related to my writing. Discussing matters of life and faith with friends has broadened my perspective. Finding new and challenging artist’s dates breathes in new life to me.

But mostly I meditate more deeply in Scripture, asking God for wisdom and new insight.

And I know the Holy Spirit will infuse my writing with a freshness it didn’t have before.

Now over to you. How do you keep your writing fresh and green?

8 comments:

  1. Great way to start off a new month Sandi! I'm still thinking about all that revamping I need to do - both in my yard in in my writing!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Such a cute (although I agree it must have been annoying) analogy about the rabbits. One year the deer moved into our yard and ate all the trees :( I feel many rabbits have nibbled at my plans over the years, sometimes leaving me completely unsure of direction. Thanks for the analogy of revamping and redirecting. Loved this piece.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love the message in here Sandi! You were discouraged at first, but then you developed a system that worked. Good for you! I have a feeling that the Lord smiles upon perseverance.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sandi, those 'wascally wabbitts' do provide challenges. The realities of life do impact our goals and dreams in gardening and writing! Thanks for the post.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Never mind my writing! - are you saying that pink geraniums and white alyssum kept the rabbits away??

    ReplyDelete
  6. Nice metaphor--rabbits in your garden forcing you to re-vamp, rabbits in your writing forcing you to re-vamp. Who says rabbits are just cute, fluffy and loveable? However, re-vamping is a good thing if it draws us closer to God, forcing us to listen more to the Spirit. Beautiful post. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  7. As always, Sandi, an excellent start for the theme of the month. I too enjoyed your metaphor of the rabbits. Then you remind us to dig deeper in God's word and listen to the Holy Spirit in our lives and in our writing. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  8. It seems like we always need to re-vamp and adapt our writing these days, especially which constant changes in technology. I'm not very good at adapting, I'm afraid, but I love the writing enough that I will have to make changes. Good thoughts, Sandra!
    Pam

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to join in the conversation. Our writers appreciate receiving your feedback on posts you have found helpful or meaningful in some way.