A Visit with Santa

Posted on November 21, 2017 by wisdomfromafather

A few months ago, the phone rang. As I answered it, a jolly voice on the other end let out with a “Ho! Ho! Ho! How are you doing Joe? Santa here.”

You never know if it’s the real Santa, and not wanting to slide over to the naughty side, I responded, “Ho! Ho! Ho! I haven’t heard from you in awhile. What can I do for you?”

And the rest of the conversation went something like this…

“Glad you asked. The Mrs. and I took a long-needed vacation to Barbados after last Christmas, but it’s been back to work, work, work since then. I figured I would visit St. Mary’s Festival again this year and I was wondering if you could take me? I had such a good visit with you.”

“Ah, Santa. You do know I’m living in Maine, right?”

“Yeah. I know where everybody is.”

“You do know Waterloo is what, about 600 miles away?”

“600 miles! That’s a trip to the candy store.”

“Well, I assume you’re flying in for the gig. Why don’t you just go straight there?”

“Parking.”

“Parking?”

“Yes, you know it’s at a premium and it ain’t that easy finding a spot for the sleigh.”

“What about the roof?”

“I heard it needed some work; didn’t want to put a strain on it.”

“Okay. Why me?”

“Because we always have a good time together.”

He was right. I’ve been meeting him on and off for years. One year he got lost when his new GPS put him on Route 96A instead of Route 96. Another year he tracked me down in St. Thomas. And still another he ran into some sleigh trouble. And he was right. Our visits were always fun and exciting with good conversation. And you know, you do have to stay on his good side.

“When is it?”

“Nov.  18.”

“Well, I guess I could do it. It’s the weekend before Thanksgiving and I was planning on spending it with family in New York.”

“Great! I’ll see you then!”

I put in my calendar and last week I received an e-mail from the jolly old elf {yes, I have his e-mail address, but I’m not sharing}. “Just checking if you’re still taking me to the festival.” I confirmed the appointment with the reply, “I’ll see you then.”

So Saturday morning comes. I walk out to the car and there’s Santa leaning against it waiting for me.

“Thought you overslept,” he says.

“I’m here,” I responded gulping another swig of coffee.

We hopped into the buggy for the 20 mile trip north. Before I could get into second gear he says so matter-of-factly, “So, what’s bothering you?” .

“It’s just a bunch of little things. I mean the world is going to hell in a hand basket. We have terrorists running around … kind of blowing up the Christmas spirit and it’s not even …”

He stopped me dead in mid-sentence.

“This is new?” he interjected. “Every year there is something going on that can dampen the spirit of Christmas.  You’re missing the whole point of Christmas!”

“Ahhh, oookay,”

He continued, “Christmas isn’t glitter and glitz. Christmas is a feeling, an attitude. And it shouldn’t just dwell in you at Christmas. It should dwell in you each and every day of the year. Christmas is joy. Remember what that is? Christmas is wonder. Are you so old you forgot what that is?  It’s a celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ.  It’s a time to celebrate His birth … the remarkable beginning of a life lived and sacrificed for you and me. Christ is the reason for the season. And that Love should dwell in us … not just during the Christmas season but every day.”

One of the children brought Santa a pre-Christmas treat and promised another plate when he visits on Christmas

Of course he was right, and I saw him put that Love in action as he meandered through the auditorium and classrooms and ramps wishing every vendor, every patron a hearty “Merry Christmas!” He would stop if there was a child present to talk to them as if they were the only two people in the room. And by child I mean from two months old to two months past their 39th birthday.

I saw that Love in action as he settled in at his special spot in one of the classrooms. I watched the twinkle in his eyes as he read stories — The Night Before Christmas, The Christmas Boot, The Polar Express, The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. I saw the magic and awe and joy and excitement and wonder as the little ones shared a secret toy request with him. I saw the pure innocent Love dwelling in him as he answered their questions, gently reminding them the holidays are “family” time and a time for celebration. I saw him laugh and I saw the children laugh and I thought to myself, “Man. He has this down right.”

I want that joy dwelling in me. This season. Every day.

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: To hell with circumstances; I create opportunities. — Bruce Lee

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Happy, Happy Birthday!

Posted on November 20, 2017 by wisdomfromafather

Well, Sweetheart, you caught up to me again! Happy, Happy Birthday!

I was having a hard time figuring out how I would recognize this milestone date. Over the past years, I’ve included some flowery verses, some whimsical sayings and simple I Love Yous. I could do that again this year, but what kept nagging me is whether they actually celebrate birthdays in heaven.

Let’s face it, down here we recognize milestones because we’re constrained by times and space. I’m not sure that’s the case in heaven. Eternity is a milestone. I mean, without the constraints of time and space, how do they measure milestones? I’m sure there is some way and I can envision the choir breaking out in a chorus of Happy Birthday for you and all those born on this earth-constrained day. I just don’t how that happens.

Down here, we do recognize the day you were born and started your journey through life and into my life and the lives of all your touched. And it’s noteworthy, because you were noteworthy.

Birthdays were never really “special” for us, especially as we meandered into emptying the nest. Baubles and beads were replaced with twosome events — concerts, movies, dinner, weekend trips and even some football games tossed in. I can’t remember the last time either one of us blew out the candles on a cake. And that’s okay. It was — and still is — a time for the two of us.

I wish I could tell you a hundred times {okay, maybe not a hundred, but a lot} how much I love and loved you. Love, like in respect and appreciation and unfailing. I still do that even though our conversations are one-sided and through a bronze veil.

I wish things were different. I wish you were still here with me physically. I miss teasing you and being teased by you. I miss your smile and even your occasional grumpiness — especially in the dawn’s early light. I miss our time together, exploring new adventures together. But, it’s not. Life has a way of changing expectations.

I can tell you, you haven’t aged a day. In fact, in my mind’s eye, you have become more beautiful — if that was at all possible.

So here’s to you, Sweetheart! Happy, Happy Birthday! I hope they have something special planned for you up there. Enjoy it. Savor it. And know you’ll never be forgotten on this side of the river.

That’s why I can still say: With all my love, Happy, Happy Birthday … For all our Yesterdays … Today … Tomorrow … and throughout Eternity.

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: Say “I love you” freely.

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Five Minute Friday — Excuse

Posted on November 19, 2017 by wisdomfromafather

Someone pointed out it was Sunday and still no Five Minute Friday. Hmmm. I guess I should do something about that.

I’m not making an EXCUSE {wait, that’s the prompt!} although I will offer I was on the road all day Friday and was visiting with Santa for a good portion of Saturday. And since I do like to participate in the exercise, here we are. After I post, I’ll get together and share witg my fellow writers at Kate’s spot on Facebook at http://www.fiveminutefriday.com.

To entice you to check us out, I’ve also been sharing some of the experiences my fellow writers have shared as chronicled in Five Minute Friday: A Collection of Stories Written in Five Minutes Flat. This week, I’ll include the words contributed by Lizzy. I hope her words inspire you to join our writing club.

“Five Minute Friday has meant to me a way to sit down and write, almost journal, snippet like entries of of what my life at any given point of time looks like. A way to record and share these so that these simple moments aren’t lost. It’s a time to put memories in my treasure box.”

There you go. Now the timer is set, so it’s time to GO…

I got stuck at work.

My watch stopped.

I just didn’t have time.

I was running late all day.

The dog ate my homework.

I was out of town.

Not tonight, I have  headache.

I’ll get to it later.

I overslept.

Aliens abducted me.

Excuses. Excuses. Excuses, although I did like that last one.

But in reality, they aren’t excuses. They’re reasons why we didn’t do what we promised to do. Some of them may have some validity, but most are, well, nothing more than excuses.

It happens in our everyday life. It happens in our prayer life.

I thought about God while writing this {late as usual because I WAS on the road Friday, but slacked off Saturday}. I bet He has heard all the excuses in the world … and then some. He’s heard why we weren’t able to give Him a moment of thanks. He’s heard why we weren’t able to give Him five minutes in the Word or an hour at church. He’s heard it. He’s heard it. He’s heard it.

We like to make excuses, …STOP

… but truth be known it’s because we have our priorities out of whack. If we’re late, there may be valid reasons {like getting preoccupied at work}, but the root is work was more important than the appointment or family or engagement. I know. I was an expert at excuses — especially when it came to leaving work on time and turning my attention to family. I know. I am an expert at telling God to wait for me rather than the other way around. But I also know when I delay my time in the Word, my day takes a turn for the worse. I know when I don’t take the time to say thanks to the Lord, those blessings wane. I know when I don’t feel His presence with me on my daily walk, that road becomes a lot more rocky.

This week’s challenge is to pack the excuses away.

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be. — Rosalynn Carter

 

 

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Self Assessment

Posted on November 15, 2017 by wisdomfromafather

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a tongue-in-cheek post about looking for a date.

I didn’t get one, but I did get a response from a friend. She reminded me my hesitantly in rejoining the dating scene could be because of my outward expressions of remembering my wife after nine years.. Or, as she put it, “Of course you remember her … and she was the love of your life … but these outward expressions would generally turn women off from wanting to join you at … outings.” She challenged me to “shake off any survivor guilt or pity party.”

Ouch.

She obviously is right … to an extent. Her circumstances are a little different {although we’re both single} including by about 30 years or so. I suspect her expectations might be a little different as well.

The incident, however, reminded me of a conversation I had with Sonni a number of years after Karen died. I don’t know how we got on the subject, but wedding bands came up. She said she had kept hers on her left ring finger for about five years. It was Scott’s protection of her. Then she said, “What about you? Why do you continue to wear your wedding ring?”

In my typical clueless reaction, I simply shrugged my shoulders and said, “I don’t know. The idea never came up.”

Then my widow in crime added, “Would you take it off?”

In my typical clueless reaction, I simply shrugged my shoulders and said, “I don’t know. I haven’t given it much thought.” After a pause, I added, “My fingers are a little chubbier than they were.”

“We can do something about that,” she countered. “Do you want to remove your wedding band?”

In my typical clueless reaction, I simply shrugged my shoulders and said, “I guess so. There’s no specific reason why I keep it on. I just haven’t had a reason to take it off.”

With that she got some waxed dental floss and started wrapping my finger tightly. Just before tucking in the end through the ring she said, “Are you sure about this?”

I guess my non-verbal communication belied my verbal “Sure, why not.”

She looped the floss through the ring and started to tug, very gently and for only a fraction of a second. She stopped, looked me in the eyes, shook her head and said, “Nope. You’re not ready” as she reversed the wrapping process.

“What? Wait?” I clammered.

“I see it in your eyes,” she said. “Your heart is not willing to let go.”

We never spoke about it again … but I knew she was right. And truth be known, my heart may never be willing to let go or even be shared.

Besides, I wouldn’t wish me on another woman.

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: It’s only called work when you’d rather be doing something else.

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Five Minute Friday — Silence

Posted on November 10, 2017 by wisdomfromafather

Happy Five Minute Friday.

Five Minute Friday is a discipline where independent writers join together to transform thoughts on a specific prompt word from their minds through their fingers onto the screen for five minutes. Then we get together and share our pearls of wisdom {okay, some times they’re swine, but the intention is always good} at Kate’s spot on Facebook at http://www.fiveminutefriday.com.

To entice you to check us out, I’ve also been sharing some of the experiences my fellow writers have shared as chronicled in Five Minute Friday: A Collection of Stories Written in Five Minutes Flat. This week, I’ll include the words contributed by Martell. I hope her words inspire you to join our writing club.

“FMF is a writing practice that requires different tools and a different mindset. I wish I had used this format when I taught eighth grade writing! The regular discipline of this writing improved my writing.

“The one word prompt nearly always sparked my imagination and led me down unexpected paths. Sometimes, I confess to a total block on some topics, thus I skipped a few Fridays.

“Encouragement from a community of writers was just the added icing on a delicious treat. Such a wide variety of writers at different stages of life, different ways of worship and service, from all over the U.S. [and around the world].”

There you go. The timer is set so it’s time to GO…

My first thought from the prompt was the song Silence is Golden. I prefer the Four Seasons’ version because, well, the Four Seasons were MY American boy band in the 60s, although the version by the Tremelos received more play time.

The song resonated to my life as a teenager . I saw so many young ladies fall for so many lines, reducing my feelings to sounds of silence. “Silence is golden, but my eyes still see.”

I did try to warn them on many occasions, try to ease their minds, letting them know I was there to listen if the need ever arose. Some took me up on the offer. Most didn’t. “Mind your business, don’t hurt her [them] you fool.”

You know this is somehow going to morph into a mini-sermon, so here goes.

I think God is the same way. I think He often watches in silence as the guys and girls in His life look for the happiness their way. …STOP

… We follow our heart and head and desires with our logic. We want to find true happiness, only we try our way. “…people follow like sheep even though there is nowhere to go … How could [we] tell [we’ve been] deceived so well. Pity [we’ll] be the last ones to know.”

I think God looks at us during those moments and thinks “And if I tried I know [they’d] say I lied.” And so He remains silent … and waits. He waits until we come to the realization we must be still and know He is God. Then He breaks His sounds of silence and embraces us with all He has as He whispers, “Silence is golden, golden, but My eyes still see.”

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: You are never given a wish without being given the power to make it true. You may have to work for it, however. — Richard Bach

 

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Five Minute Friday — Need

Posted on November 3, 2017 by wisdomfromafather

I’m back for another Five Minute Friday rambling. Five Minute Friday is a discipline where independent writers join together at Kate’s spot on Facebook at http://www.fiveminutefriday.com and encourage our writing neighbors as we visit and see their take on the common prompt.  And, you’re always welcome to join us … either as a visitor or participant.

I’ve also been sharing some of the experiences my fellow writers have shared as chronicled in Five Minute Friday: A Collection of Stories Written in Five Minutes Flat. This week, I’ll include the words Shirley contributed. I hope her words inspire you to join our writing club.

“People want a sense of community and a sense of belonging. They need companionship. We actually crave it. That is where the Five Minute Friday group of bloggers come in. We all join together each week to write on one prompt word given, and that one word unites us as a community. We share our posts, and in doing so, we are sharing a part of our hearts.”

Well, the prompt this week is appropriately NEED. I drew from a previous prompt, WANT, so lets see where we go. The timer is set. GO …

There’s fine line between want and need. I have a lot of wants —  a new car, money to travel, someone to share my life with, a comfortable life, a long retirement. I really have just one need — God.

We’re all guilty of using the power of prayer to ask God for “things” or “blessings”. You know, “Lord I really want this job” …. “Lord, please bless my family while they travel” … “Lord, did I tell you my car’s kinda acting up, I could really use a new one” … You get the picture.

That’s our prayer life and our “wish” and “need” list. Surprise, it’s not what God intended. Yes, He said come to Him with all petitions and pleas. Yes, He wants us to talk to Him. But He doesn’t want to be told what to do. In fact, often, when the “we” or “I” take over in the conversation, things get worse. Remember George Bailey? He prayed and got popped in the nose.

Prayer is not a wish list or a want list. It’s a connection with God, a conversation that acknowledges Him as the One in charge. Sometimes, I think we are lot … STOP

… like Frankenstein in our prayer life, you know, the creation thinking it’s more important than the Creator.

Sometimes, when I talk to my Best Friend, I ramble and, yes, use “I” a lot. But I’ve come to learn the joy in my conversations is sitting back and watching the Master in action. It might not be today … or tomorrow … or next week … or next month … or even next year. But I know it’s coming and I just have to be ready to recognize and enjoy the blessing.

And that’s all I really need.

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: He who has a why can deal with any what or how. — Stephen Covey

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Five Minute Friday — Overcome

Posted on October 29, 2017 by wisdomfromafather

I know it’s Sunday and this is a Five Minute Friday exercise. Sunday … Friday. Not quite the same.

But the point, as I’ve said many times, is it’s not the day, but the discipline. It doesn’t matter whether it’s Friday {the chosen date for most}, Saturday {my usual default}, Sunday or the middle of next week. The community responds to carve out five minutes of unscripted writing, post it, link up at Kate’s spot on Facebook at http://www.fiveminutefriday.com and encourage our writing neighbors as we visit and see their take on the common prompt.

Lately, I’ve also been sharing some of those experiences as chronicled in Five Minute Friday: A Collection of Stories Written in Five Minutes Flat. This week, I’ll share the word from Alia. I hope her words inspire you to join our writing club.

“I was a writer long before I was ever so bold as to claim that name for myself. I believed, as many do, that it was something you have to earn with book sales or a paycheck or a degree from a fancy university. But I had words coiled up inside me that would leak from my pen by lamplight that would one day be packed up in a nondescript cardboard box labeled journals and placed next to the camping equipment in the garage. I was a girl who saw a storied world, with metaphors and symbolism and words that felt like warm honey on my tongue. And when I ventured to the screen, I worried, as writers are prone to, that my words were not enough, that I might not be enough. I spent a lot of time hovering over backspace and I hit publish with shaky fingers. I feared the deafening silence and the gathering crowds with equal measure. I longed for a place to write the way I did when the journals were scribbled in and no one was going to call me out as a fraud, but I didn’t want to be alone anymore. I wanted a place where I could write too many words or too few and not worry if they were the right ones. And when I found FMF and they promised I could just come, that showing up was the battle and doing it scared was brave, I found my fingers would fly across the keys. I wrote things that made me cringe, and others that made me believe I was born for this. And I found a community that would cheer either way. I learned that writers write and the first step is showing up. I leaned to call myself a writer in those five minutes every Friday. I learned to write free.

There you go. The word this week is OVERCOME. The timer is set for five minutes, so let’s GO…

I’ve actually been blessed. There hasn’t been much for me to overcome in a long life. Sure, there were individual incidents and some health issues and plenty of just plain life, but never have I experienced the soul-searching, heart-rending, faith-jarring experiences to overcome.

That’s not to say I haven’t known people who have…

Overcome a less than supportive home and/or faith life.

Overcome abuse, be it physical or mental.

Overcome debilitating illnesses with grace and perseverancxe.

Overcome sudden losses.

Overcome addictions of all stripes.

Overcome a wayward spirit.

Overcome real crises of faith.

And yet they came out stronger because our God cares, out God reaches down, our God lifts up, our God loves.

Those are the heroes of our faith. It’s easy to go to church on Sunday when all is peaches and cream. It’s easy to smile when things are going right. It’s easy to share our faith when we’re in lockstep with the Lord. But throw a couple of homeless and/or hungry nights … STOP

… or other bigger than life calamities and you have a different story. Some reach out for the Life saver. Others don’t and turn their backs on God.

That’s the challenge for us. It’s up to us to toss that life saver. It’s not up to us only to preach the Good News, but to live the Good News so they see Jesus in us. We can’t walk in their shoes, but we can show them Someone who has. The rest is between God and them.

May that be our focus this week. Reach out. Show the love of God. Pray they make connection.

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: The shortest answer is doing. — Lord Herbert

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Shareathon

Posted on October 25, 2017 by wisdomfromafather

This is one of those I wish it wasn’t needed posts … the annual Shareathons.

I do a lot of online listening, so in the space of a couple of weeks I’ve heard the pitches from my local Family Life Network, the national feeds from K-Love, Air-1 and Family Life Radio, plus a few local stations, the most recent being a Fish feed from Arkansas which was hyping a Food for the Poor campaign.

All these stations are listener supported. In other words, they need the support from listeners to bankroll programming and operational costs. Typically, they make the on-air solicitation over a few days twice a year. It ain’t cheap.

Over the past few years, the on-air personalities have gone out of their way to make the giving experience a fun experience. They offer prizes and incentives to bring in the bucks, ranging from  bricks of Christian CDs to electronic bundles to cruises and vacation packages. They weave in testimonials from listeners about the value of Christian programming or how that particular song or teaching program was “discovered” at just the right moment to change a life. And they often tease listeners with “challenges”.

I get it. I understand the need. I appreciate the light-hearted touch for a serious topic. After all, without support, these stations would be off the air. We need them to be alive and well in an increasingly secular world. While in some cases they are the only church some people hear, everyone of them will tell you they are a supplemental arm of your local church.

But I do sometimes cringe when I hear the on air pitches. Without realizing it, many of the personalities seem– at least to me — more like boardwalk barkers with their “Woo Hoos” and “Will you be the first [or next] to …” I envision some sleight of hand tactic when giving is tied into “challenges” or references to first time givers or ringing phones in the background or “closing a door” to the phone room to whisper a special financial challenge.

Again, I understand. I wish it wasn’t necessary but it is. Pandering is a necessary part of the process, but the needs often get buried under the saccharine.

How can the message of need get out without the carnival side show? Am I alone in my thinking?

I don’t have a solution, but would love to hear your thoughts.

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over again in my life, and that is why I succeed. — Michael Jordan

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Five Minute Friday — Discover

Posted on October 20, 2017 by wisdomfromafather

I know I said I would probably be on the road today, but — surprise! — things change. I moved the trip to next week, so here I am for Five Minute Friday on Friday. Next week it will probably be a Saturday post.

Most of you know what Five Minute Friday is, but for a quick review, it’s a chance for a group of dedicated writers to get together weekly to write on a one word prompt for five minutes. Nothing fancy. Nothing too deep [unless that’s the direction we writers are convicted to do]. Technically, no edits — including spelling and grammar — although I’m sure we all fudge on that one. I know I do. When I just let my fingers wander, they often can’t keep up with my free range mind and the gibberish on the screen needs deciphering. And we do it all in five minutes! [Well, that’s the goal, although I’ve been known to go a tad beyond at times.]

It all starts with a Twitter party Thursday night where the prompts come to life. One of these weeks, I’ll have to “chaperone” that party. Then it’s work time.

The exciting part is after we post, we share. We visit Kate’s spot on Facebook at http://www.fiveminutefriday.com and link our words before settling in to read the remarkable takes on the prompt word from other writers in the group. I encourage you to visit as well, even if you’re not inclined to join in. It is painless … and so rewarding.

As an extra inducement, I’ve been including testimonials on Five Minute Friday from other contributors as collected in Five Minute Friday: A Collection of Stories Written in Five Flat. This week’s it’s by Sarah. May her words sway you to give us a look.

“I LOVE the Five Minute Friday Community! When I have writer’s block they are always on hand to encourage and motivate me. Having a focus word to write from is an incredible tool for any writer! Even though I don’t join in every week … I know there is always an invitation and a place for me at the FMF Party table!”

So, there you have it, I guess it’s time to get to work. The prompt this week is DISCOVER. The timer is set for five minutes. GO …

As a way to keep in contact with the family, we’ve been sharing little blessings of the day. Sometimes they’re silly. Sometimes their more poignant. Always they stop us for  a moment to just show the awesomeness of God in our lives.

Those are discover moments. It could be a sunrise or sunset, or a flower sprouting in a place not expected, or ducks swimming or a host of everyday things we usually take for granted. Our little family exercise {okay we don’t all always participate} keeps us connected and often leads to other discoveries.

I love looking for gems in the ordinary. That’s God showing me His talents and encourages me to move forward and not dwell in the past. Each day has a new discovery that shows His presence in my life … in your life.

Yeah, sometimes, it can be a little hokie. But if we commit ourselves to discovering the extraordinary in the ordinary … STOP

… the ordinary becomes extraordinary and adds flavor to our everyday lives. Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He shows me His wonders, I can get through the day.

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: Success is not hitting the top — success is how you bounce when you hit the bottom. — George Patton

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Step of Faith

Posted on October 17, 2017 by wisdomfromafather

Gulp!

I’ve embarked on a new path after a couple of years of procrastinating {I know I never do that}, questioning the value of the project and questioning myself. But I was encouraged through faith to take that first step … and today I took it. I formally signed a publishing contract. If all goes as planned, in about 90 days or so, Heaven Shines Through will be available on line and at your favorite book stores.

Some of you may be familiar with Heaven Shines Through. It was a 24 week labor of love that was planted almost exactly five years ago.

You might remember the exercise I started by stating, “I often though it would be cool to work on a collaborative community ‘novel’ … or at least a short story. I know it’s been done before, but I have never done it. Now is as good a time as ever. I’m floating the idea here on my blog.” [Oct. 10, 2012]

Simply put, I invited readers — and that included Reveille/Between the Lakes [the newspaper I published at the time] readers as well — to contribute to an ongoing story. As long as there was interest, I told them, I would continue to advance the storyline.

I had no expectations about where the story would go. In fact, I didn’t even have a storyboard or outline. I was trusting in their imagination and direction. Would it end up being a mystery? A romance? A comedy? A drama? A slice of life? Inspiration?

I thought we would decide together.

The plan was to get them started and have them submit continuing paragraph(s) each week. Together, I reasoned, we would flesh out the storyline, develop characters, possibly throw in some curves or red herrings. In the end I hoped we would be able to come up with a readable piece all would be proud to share with family and friends.

To get them started, I began …

I was driving alone on the dark black asphalt, seemingly darker because of ominous clouds on the horizon ranging from steel gray to puffs of white. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of white as the sun tried to peek out from behind the clouds. It didn’t succeed, but first a ray rained into the picture, followed by a halo of rays.

My name is …

Just like real life, things change. Except for naming the lead character [Samantha, which presented challenges in and of itself since I am far from being of the female persuasion], everyone bailed out and I was left to trudge along by myself [I did get positive feedback along the way, though, which buoyed me] …

In all, I worked through the story writing a “section” each week for 24 weeks, then spending another couple of weeks coming up with the title. I didn’t have a direction at first, although each week led to the next week of the serialized tome.

I put the exercise away for a couple of years, but in the quiet of Maine, I was able to revisit and edit the project, while also attempting to convert it into a screenplay [That’s another story for another time and another project I am considering].

Is it any good?

I don’t know. I was personally happy with the final product, which I farmed to a few close friends I knew would give me honest feedback.  Now it’s up to the publishing experts to critique and place it in the right category.

Ironically, I was convicted to take the next step by a five-year old song by Matthew West, Do Something. While his message was a lot deeper, the words “If not us, then who … Right now, it’s time for us to do something … If not now, then when…” was a message I couldn’t shake. It was not enough to do nothing … It was time for me to do something. Right now!

I really don’t know how to describe the book. I suppose I would categorize Heaven Shining Through as a flashback love story that weaves in evolving values, reconciliation and redemption. I tried to keep it real with appropriate language and activities. I purposely stayed away from being “preachy” but rather told a story that showed the presence of God in everyday, sometimes messy lives. The hope is readers will be able to see that.

We’ll soon find out.

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: Be like a postage stamp. Stick to it until you get there. — Harvey Mackay

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