If Only I Had Time...

Happy Leap Month! Every four years, this month brings the gift of an extra day. It’ll seem like any other Saturday and we will manage to fill it with the tasks we normally undertake on that day—washing laundry, vacuuming carpets, etc.—so it may pass without special notice. But make no mistake, the 29^th is a day we normally wouldn’t count in the year.

We think we don’t have enough time to do what really matters to us, but in fact we do because we make time.  Clocks, schedules, and calendars direct our days—but who made them? Who set those alarms? Who agreed to those deadlines? We did.

The same is true of February 29. We made the day. And when it rolls around, we’ll decide how to use it.

If we can give ourselves a day, why not an hour? Why not use that hour for our own purposes, as we do with the extra day we’ll give ourselves four weeks from now?

Here's a Leap Year proposal: When you find yourself thinking, “If only I had the time…,” give yourself that time and use it for your personal priorities. Writing, for example.

Joe Allison writes both fiction and nonfiction, and has been a member of the Indiana chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers since 2010. He lives in Anderson, IN, with his wife Maribeth and daughter Heather.

From the Archives: Life-Proof or Life-Resistant Writing?

It's usually my (Linda's) turn to post on the third Tuesday, but I'm in Florida visiting family and wanting to make the most of my time with them. Life happens, both good and bad, and I know many in our family at ACFW Indiana are dealing with life's (divine) interruption. H.T. Lord has a beautiful analysis from the archives analyzing how to handle those times when writing is just about impossible.

Even though we are 20 or so years away from it, my husband and I have been talking about retirement plans lately.

I want to move to Iceland where there are no mosquitoes. He wants to move to Florida where there exists more mosquitoes than in any other state in the U.S.A.

Besides the prolific insect populations (and alligators), the other reason I am hesitant to move there are the hurricanes. How often have we been hearing about people who have lost everything because of a hurricane? Often!

If you can’t tell, I did not grow up near a large body of water. My husband did; it’s called the Atlantic Ocean. We have been living in a part of the country I’m used to for the past 20 years surrounded by corn fields, green grass, tall trees and cricks, otherwise known as “creeks.”

He’s given up what he loves for my comfort, so it’s only right I at least consider living out our golden years where he feels most at home.

That said, I’m still uneasy. So I prayed, “Lord, is there anything out there that can stand up to a hurricane?” It turns out there is. There are a few options actually, but the one that caught my eye is a round home.

Believe it or not, round homes are tornado, earthquake and hurricane resistant. I guess no one can claim hurricane-proof, because, let’s face it, stuff happens. But the few companies I found that make round homes have testimonials of round home owners who have lived through recent hurricanes and their houses emerged unscathed. Cool, huh?

So all this got me to thinking about whether or not it’s possible for writers to “life-proof” their writing.

I’m coming off a three-week unscheduled, unwanted hiatus from my cherished writing schedule. Life happened.

My father-in-law could no longer live on his own, so we found a way for him to move in with us until better arrangements can be made. I contracted a stomach virus that left me incoherent for 10 days. Our youngest daughter caught a cold that turned into a lung infection. I could go on, but I think you get the idea.

Maybe for some life-proofing their writing is possible. What does that really mean but to choose writing every time something comes up? I commend everyone with that kind of determination and discipline. You rock! My hope is to join your ranks someday.

But for me, now, I’m thinking life-resistant writing is a pretty good option. So what does that mean? I think it means to have a writing schedule, to have a plan, but also to be flexible so when life happens you can resist the guilt and hopelessness that inevitably comes.

Your heart for writing hasn’t gone away, it’s just weathering the latest storm. And when the wind calms and the water stills, you pick up where you left off.

Humbly submitted by H.T. Lord

The elusive writing schedule

They seek it here, they seek it there

Those writers seek it everywhere

Is it in heaven or is it in hell?

That doggone elusive writer’s schedule.

Borrowed from Baroness Emmuska Orczy’s The Scarlet Pimpernel (with minor adjustments)

I have included “Establish a writing schedule” on my New Year’s resolution list every year for a number of years, which I did each year.

I just couldn’t maintaining it the whole year which produced guilt, which then lent itself to frustration, self-doubt, <insert emotion here>.

from Fotolia by Ivan Nikulin

I wanted 2015 to be different so I changed the resolution to “Establish a writing schedule that I, and my family, can live with.” Ah, that’s a whole different animal, isn’t it? And it’s proven to be about as easy as finding other elusive things like say, a yeti, for example.

But found it, I have (and yes, I am a Star Wars fan).

It took me until the end of October, but I did find my schedule – the one I and my family can live with. I have stuck to it through the month of November and I’m still doing it. Plus, I look forward to it.

Before I share what changed, I must praise Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, for His part in this. He must get the credit because as He said, “… apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 (NLT).

Okay, so what changed?

Two things: my perspective and my expectations.

The truth is there are people better qualified, more creative and way more articulate than I am who could be writing the story I am writing right now. The problem is God didn’t give this story to them, He gave it to me - the least qualified person.

Why? After much prayer and Bible study, I have concluded this is a pattern with God. He chose a stutterer to speak for him to the King of Egypt. He chose a small, young shepherd to slay a giant, just to name two examples, there are many more.

Okay, God, I admit I need You to write, but things still aren’t coming together. What am I missing?

What I was missing was that God never intended writing to be just for me. He had always intended “writing time” to be “Father/daughter time;” He meant it for us. Just like a loving Father, He chose an activity I love that we can have fun doing together.

The second thing was my expectation. I had to change how I define a successful writing session.

My new definition of success is simply get up half an hour early, read devotions and pray for a few minutes then spend the rest of the time writing with my heavenly Father.

from Fotolia by blinkblink

It’s a slow process. One day I wrote only 20 words, but the point is I’m moving forward. It is inevitable that I will complete this story, and finish it the way I have always imagined because I have the best co-author ever!

So with God’s help, I found my schedule. I have no plans to try to find a yeti, but with God I could write a story about it.

Merry Christmas everyone! And God bless your New Year!

Humbly submitted by H.T. Lord