Revisiting Your 2012 Calendar – Ramona Heikel

A few weeks ago I decided to sit down and take a close look at what I’d written during 2012, and how I’ve used my time. I was in for some pleasant surprises! If you’re in need of some visual, factual encouragement, you might try what I did.

First, ignore the voice that says you’re wasting precious time. This activity takes at least an hour or more, during which some sneering thoughts inside may say, “Look at you, you should be plotting, submitting, or at the very least, marketing. Now get back to that story!” Don’t listen.

Review any writing goals you set at the beginning of the year, and pat yourself on the back. You set goals! Well done! That all by itself is a huge accomplishment. Setting goals for what we want to write is sometimes much more important than the writing. It’s a key time for us to sit quietly and be inspired, to get a sense of what our priorities are, and understand the Lord’s will. And this review of the year’s writing is actually a component of goal-setting.

Look through your files, piles, binders, emails or lists to see what you’ve accomplished. In addition to the above, I also have a separate sheet where I list each project I plan to submit for publication, and then scribble dates and details as I go. This sheet is good for reviewing my project goals, and I see that I sent about 60% of the pieces I’d hoped to send.

Add accomplishments to a calendar chronologically. I usually use my monthly planner book to keep track of my tutoring sessions and to schedule activities on the days I’m off work, but for now I need an easy way to record my writing activities chronologically, so I’ll use it for this, too. I want to see things daily, weekly and monthly so I’ll know just how much of my free time I actually spend on my writing, because in my mind I never spend enough.

One great benefit of this is if I worked on the same piece over and over, and submitted and re-submitted it several times, it shows up on the calendar every time I worked on it (woo-hoo!), instead of just once on the list of projects. This is a more realistic account of my writing activities. Wow, the calendar is filling up!

Add ALL accomplishments, even the ones that “don’t count”. After you add the obvious ones, think about what else you’ve written that doesn’t seem like a big deal (perhaps because it isn’t reviewed by an editor for acceptability?). For me this includes blog posts, giving critiques, writing exercises, posting book reviews at online booksellers, comments on blogs, and even letters or emails to family and friends needing encouragement, because that is ultimately what I want my writing to do: comfort and encourage.

Look what you’ve accomplished this year! Now I can see how much I’ve accomplished in 2012 during the time I’ve had available. I did more than I realized, and I can also see how much I’ve written that can potentially help other people. The results of all my hard work are up to God, but I see I’ve been faithful to write. That makes me feel goooood.


Posted by Ramona
www.happilywriting.com

Christmas is Coming by Glynis M. Belec

Christmas is coming 
The geese are getting fat. 
Please put a penny in the old man's hat.
If you haven't got a penny then a ha'penny will do.
If you haven't got a ha'penny then God Bless You.


When I was a child I recited poetry and ditties unabashedly. We played skip and tossed balls against the wall to the beat of school yard chants. Sometimes I didn't fully understand what I was saying, but I knew it was appropriate for the game.

 This Christmas ditty that I remember well always troubled me a little. I am not completely sure why it bothered me so much but I think it had something to do with the fat goose and the poor man.

Now that I am all grown up and half a dozen steps over the half century mark I think I have it figured out. Well, maybe not all figured out. But perhaps my life experiences coupled with the state of the world gives me a better understanding of how to treat our fellow man.

As I have quietly observed lately, the advertising frenzy of this Christmas season only serves to multiply the greed. Subliminally, we are convinced that we need any or all of the latest technological wizardry, the finest wine or spirits; the brand name labels for everything from clothing to vehicle and more. And if we don't get it we are counted in the with the deprived and underprivileged. The focus is on getting rather than giving. When I think like this I don't particularly look forward to Christmas.

How far that is from the way Jesus intended it to be.

I suppose I have two choices - I can join in or I can step back. Because I step back, it doesn't mean I am setting myself apart as something special, though. But rather it means I am taking the time to savour the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus. That beautiful Babe swaddled tightly. That feels so much more real than giving into the demands of the tyranny of consumerism.  

Did Jesus smell like a baby - or was the aroma that of heaven? Did Jesus cry - or was He the perfect child? Did Jesus ever get an ear infection? A tummy ache? Did He sleep through the night? Did he get cranky when His teeth came in? Oh how I love to wonder.

How mesmerizing it is to consider the birth and young life of Jesus. I sometimes find myself getting wrapped up in the busyness of the season - which sort of goes with the territory in busy families and today's society. But how wonderful and much more hopeful I feel during this blessed season once I manage to get beyond the tinsel and the pretty lights and shift my focus to the Reason.

I've decided to challenge myself to take a moment each day leading up to Christmas to celebrate and anticipate the hope that Jesus still offers today. And when I have the opportunity, I will give up a ha'penny or two and toss it in the 'old man's hat' so to speak. I will do this not out of obligation, but out of sheer joy and gratitude to the King of Kings. When I think like this I look forward to Christmas. I suppose that could be because of the peace that passes some of my understanding.


 For unto us a Child is born. A Saviour has come. Joy unbridled.


Christmas is coming
May God Bless you!

~ Glynis M. Belec

      

InScribers Review: So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore

Authors: Wayne Jacobsen and Dave Coleman
Publisher: Windblown Media, Moorpark, CA, 2008
ISBN-10: 0964729229
ISBN-13:978-0964729223
No. of pages: 191
Amazon.com 


Reviewed by: Bryan Norford

The book claims it is almost impossible to find authentic life in Jesus in the organized Church. Written in the first person, Jake meets up with a mysterious John—Jake wonders if he is a reincarnated apostle John! The meetings are always spontaneous, John arriving unannounced at opportune and inopportune times in Jake’s life to teach him a “better” way.

John teaches Jake that his pastorate at a large local church is unsatisfying because it is self-serving. It serves Jake’s need for an income, and the church serves the needs of the members for acceptance and fellowship—a “mutual accommodation of self-need.” The process is mostly performance oriented for both the leaders and the led, and dedicated to maintaining the church’s existence. John considers the institutional Church provides “love with a hook”: acceptance if one conforms to the local church’s standards—a system of “shame-management,” with all the shoulds and oughts keeping adherents in line.

John makes a valid point. Many are disillusioned with church difficulties, and have dropped out. The church does not produce life, life creates the church. While he admits that not everyone is swallowed by the system, John generally considers the organised church is geared to security and personal comforts incompatible with following Christ. Authentic relationship with Christ is only found with others seeking an intimate Christ-relationship.

How John plans to achieve this without some organization is not clear; at best, it occurs at informal gatherings, not structured services. When or how it happens, or even if it happens, is at Christ’s leading. John seems to believe in freewheeling groups, which may or may not meet at any particular time; in which people come or go on a whim, and has a capricious consensus from hit or miss indeterminate groups of seeking individuals.

Thus, uncertainty runs like a river through the book. John is always sure that the organized Church will not provide authentic Christian living, but he rarely suggests how to obtain it. “You’ll know it when you see it” seems to be his determining value. John’s instruction on what Jesus requires is never backed up by actual scriptural quotes. In the whole book, only one paragraph lists five verses at random on God’s provision for the believer.

John elevates the mystical and denigrates the practical in the Church. Seeking the individual walk with Christ at the expense of infrastructure impoverishes the Church and the world. Much Christian work, missions, social relief, clinics and hospitals to name a few, require organizations large or small. John’s rejection of organized Church leaves much of Christ’s mission incomplete and the world an infinitely poorer place.

Are You Waiting for Christmas? The Coming of Christ? -- Janis Cox

A Commissioned Painting from Red Mountain Women's Dinner

It is December 1st.  And I am writing this post. Tomorrow is Advent - the first week of awaiting the coming of Christ.

As I sat to speak to God this morning I picked up a devotional for Advent by Margaret Feinberg. The first week said: Waiting.

As I read the devotional and answered the questions I thought yes – we are waiting, waiting for the Christ. What a wonderful time of year to be filled with excitement to see the coming of Christ once again.

Then I read Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. And today it said: Wait.

So I waited to hear from God. And as usual He did not disappoint. He spoke to me about this time of year. 

To remember to SLOW down.

Not to rush or get into the hectic activity that can come with this season.

About 10 years ago we decided as a family to come together the weekend before Christmas. That would be our time together.

We also decided to choose to be less “secular” and instead of gifts for all the members we would only focus on the kids – and not go overboard. Just one gift per family per child – that is enough. The rest of the time is fun and fellowship. Laughter, stories, and just “hangin’ out” as my granddaughter says. We try to keep food simple with all the families helping out. Each year we get simpler and each year we have an even more joyous time.

What we don’t spend on gifts for ourselves we give to others. The little ones are learning the freedom of giving – an excellent example at an early age. A couple of the grandkids decided to forgo the gifts on their birthdays and ask for donations to other causes. Good for them.

Christmas is about the coming of Christ. Gifts were meant to be a gift of love but became a “what am I going to get?” instead. We have decided to give the gift of love instead of the gift of stuff.

How are you keeping your Christmas simple in order to enjoy the coming of Christ?

Waiting for the Coming of Christ - Christmas!

Janis, a former school teacher and small business owner, found a new passion in writing in her retirement. She has published a couple of devotionals and a number of articles.

As owner of Under the Cover of Prayer she writes often.

Her children's book, Tadeo Turtle, is now available. An accompanying curriculum can be obtained as well.

Email her at Janis or visit her at www. janiscox.com.