In addition to my regular notebook, I also keep a gratitude journal.  Sometimes, I buy the that Sarah Ban Breathnacht puts out as a companion to her book, Simple Abundance, and sometimes, I just buy a pretty blank book for the purpose of gratitude.  It’s a pretty simple concept–at the end of each day, you simply write down five things that you are grateful for.  Even on horrendously bad days when it feels like everything has gone wrong, there are good things–family, friends, health, a new day coming, sleep, etc.  I love the gratitude journal–I have been keeping them for about ten years and due to the nature of gratitude, they are always happy and uplifting to reread, and they also work as a calendar and a sort of written scrapbook.  Sometimes it’s just fun to look at last year’s journal and see what I was grateful for last year, or what I was doing.  Few things are more uplifting to me than counting my blessings!

With that said, here is today’s entry:

1. Waking up and laughing, smiling, and snuggling with my favorite person on the planet, my husband.

2. A beautiful fall day with lots of sunshine–took the puppy out for some frolicking in the field.

3. A clean house.

4. Time to be at home and rest.

5.  Watched P.S. I Love You

A few days ago, I desperately wanted to pray, but I couldn’t get a moment alone.  In the past, in times when I have been overwhelmed or frustrated with my life circumstances, I have written letters to God.  They start, “Dear Heavenly Father…,” and then I pour out my heart to Him.  However, at this particular time I am referring to, I was neither frustrated nor overwhelmed.  I just wanted to pray.  So, I got out my notebook, and I wrote out my prayer including praise, thanksgiving, repentance, specific requests for family and friends, and prayers for myself.  Even though it takes a long time to write a prayer out by hand like this, it was very rewarding.  I now have a written record of one day’s personal quiet time and devotional.  It will be interesting to look back on later.

I am intrigued by the whole idea of writing out prayers, now.  I think it would be such a neat gift for anyone!  I could write out a prayer once a week just for my own records, or I could keep regular written prayers for my husband, a child or other family member, or a special friend.  Imagine how awesome it would be to hand a pretty journal to a loved one and say, “These are the prayers I’ve been writing for you.”  I know I personally would LOVE such a gift.  It would be something I would keep forever.  And, it doesn’t have to be a huge time commitment.  There are many different ways to approach such a project.  You could do one per month and give someone a book of twelve prayers especially for them.  With a child, you could write a prayer on each first day of school, and give it to them when they graduate.  With someone that you know well, you could commit to praying/writing specifically about a certain need, and give her the little prayer book after a designated period of time.

The hardest part, I think, will be waiting the right period of time to give this gift.  I plan to purchase at least one  attractive journal on my next trip to the bookstore, and begin a prayer book for a special someone’s Christmas gift.

     I received a subscription to the magazine Writer’s Digest for Christmas this last year, and I get really excited when it arrives–even more excited when I have time to read it.  It has interviews with authors and lots of information on perfecting the writing craft, as well as the business side of things.  I especially have enjoyed the features that discuss ways to fit writing into an already jam-packed schedule.  And there are contests.  Loads of contests to enter.  It’s overwhelming in a sense. 

     What’s not overwhelming, and is actually kind of fun is the prompt contest that appears in every issue.  This is the perfect low-key contest to enter and get your writing feet wet.  This issue’s prompt is “A woman is given the ability to go back in time and change one event in her life.”  There is a 750 word limit, and submissions are to be emailed.  What could be easier?  The deadline is July 10.  The winner receives publication of his story in an issue of the magazine.

     A “prompt” contest like this is disarming.  Prompts are just to play–just to try new things and see where you end up.  It’s a good way to get your creative juices flowing and find a story where you didn’t expect one.  There is less pressure with a prompt than say writing a twenty page short story or a collection of sonnets.  It’s short.  It may seem silly, but it is fun to try.

     I played with this prompt last night when I was feeling “at loose ends.”  I worked on it for about an hour and ended up with a fun story that is about 200 words over the limit.  I will revise and delete those extra words and get it emailed soon.  It wasn’t a big time committment, but it was a small step toward fulfilling my goal to be more committed to my writing.  And, even if nothing comes of it, a creative exercise like this definitely adds novely to an otherwise ordinary day.

     I spent the bulk of this afternoon and early evening grading the first batch of essays for my expository writing students.  As a professor, I love the time before the grading of the first essay; it is like the “honeymoon” period, and with this particular group, it has been very enjoyable–with interesting and lively class discussions, insightful questions, and practice writing taking place inside and outside of class.  We like each other!

     Then, it is time to grade that first essay.  It is a time when I may discover that the student that makes the extremely astute comments in class is a mediocre writer.  In any case, it is time to give criticism.  Of course, this is a necessary part of teaching–grading and giving feedback; yet, I also feel it is a task to handle with care because feelings are at stake, and an open teacher-student relationship hangs tottering in the balance.  While a part of me may feel on some level that their grade is their grade and they can read my comments and adhere to them or not, since I am trying to live out the character of Christ, I am asking myself, how would Jesus say this? 

     The first thing that I am doing differently with this batch of essays, is writing the comments in the form of a note by beginning my feedback with addressing the students by their first names.  I think this is a reminder of the relationship and hopefully will remind them that I am tailoring my response just for them, not just slapping down comments on a generic essay.  Second, I am making an effort to comment first on all of the things the writer is doing well, and last, I give the directive comments that clarify why the grade is what it is. 

     I am not sure how big of a difference these steps I am taking will make to my students, but they make a difference to me.  Even though giving criticism (constructive criticism) is my job, I want to exhibit gentleness.  I also close off the comments (especially if the grade is low) with an invitation for further conversation with me about the essay.  In order for criticism to be effectively given and received, the bridge of the relationship must be sturdy and open.

     For many years I have been aware of the adage, “Praise in public; criticize in private.”   I try to follow this rule in regard to my students speaking highly of them all in classroom situations, to their peers, and to colleagues.  I think because writing is so personal–even academic writing, there is a danger of taking criticism of the writing as a personal attack.  I was a sensitive student myself, and anything less than positive remarks on a paper were really taken to heart. 

     Now, I am convinced more than ever that one of the most important qualities of an effective teacher (and person?) is to have a teachable spirit.  I know that I do not know everything.  I know that there are many subjects in which my students have more knowledge and expertise than I do, and I try to acknowledge that.  If I make a mistake in class, and they point it out to me–my goal here is to teach them by example how to respond to criticism.  I admit my mistake, make a joke about it, correct the mistake and move on.  I want to be the kind of teacher and woman, who is always teachable–ready to learn and ready to improve.  I also pray that I will be so tuned in to the Lord and the people around me that a gentle whisper of loving criticism will convey the message and I will respond quickly.

The latest issue of Real Simple Magazine has a simple, but attractive looking writing contest advertised.  It is the 2nd Annual Real Simple Essay Contest.  The topic question is “When did you first realize that you had grown up?”  This is a great contest–there are so many firsts a person could write about–first job, first apartment, first real paycheck, first time paying taxes, hailing a taxi, taking a trip.  For more details, check out the June issue of Real Simple.  Contests are a great way to bust out of a writing block, because they provide that magical thing that will get you brainstorming, scribbling and typing up some sentences:  a deadline.  Plus, there’s prize money.  Good Luck!

     I finished Wm. Paul Young’s The Shack  over the weekend.  Since I started reading it, I see it everywhere–any  place that has books has copies of this one.  I originally stumbled upon it by doing a search of “Christian fiction.”  The story itself is fast-paced, compelling, wildly creative and I love it.  And yet…

     It was also didactic.  Sometimes, as I was reading, I felt myself pulling away and thinking, “Is every Christian novel just a creative frame for a sermon?”  Is that the nature of Christian fiction?  Or, is “Christian fiction” even a fair category?  I am reminded of my favorite C.S. Lewis quote which basically states that Christian art only exists in the sense that Christian cooking exists;  Christianity is not a sauce we add to something to make it okay.

     Even so, when I think about my own writing projects, I confess I tend to think of it in terms of “my Christian writing” and “everything else.”  If I am a Christian, and my relationship with God is the center of my life, it should permeate everything I touch.  That means that all of my writing is Christian, and perhaps it is not necessary to call it such.

     Normally, I read mainstream fiction, mysteries, and chick lit–nothing I find morally questionable, but for the most part, there is not a message of Christian salvation presented in these types of books either.  I read them for entertainment.  Now, I find myself exploring the genre that the world categorizes as “Christian fiction,” looking for useful ways to define it. 

     Before reading The Shack, another book that really touched me was Kate Jacobs’  Friday Night Knitting Club.  This was a book about the healing power of friendships and forgiveness.  No one would call it a “Christian” book, but I found the message to resound with what I believe about the importance of people and relationships.  Are these categories we use to define what is Christian art and what is not just arbitrary?