Don’t sit on your hands!

It's Saturday morning and here I sit, at my favorite corner table at Barnes. I'm facing out to the rainy parking lot and busy sidewalk with a nice cup of green tea.

We just had our first writers’ group meeting of the year and I'm so glad that I didn’t cancel it--though it crossed my mind. Now I have two glorious hours to read and write and just reflect on what the Lord did this morning.

We had a great time of sharing—no, commiserating is more like it. When people ask me how my book's coming along, I often say that I feel like I've been pregnant with a breach baby for about ten years. When will I go into labor? Oh, if only there was a way to schedule a C-section on this child and deliver!

Truth is, none of us are writing as much as we feel we should. It’s like a disease, and so often misunderstood. With it is the guilt of not tending to other responsibilities, the never-ending work and calendar events… ahh me. We will never have it the way we want it seems.

So the timing was perfect this morning to be directed to a tremendous book that was given to Gail for the holidays. I’m going to suggest that everyone in the group get and read it so we can discuss at the next couple of meetings. It is called The War of Art by Steven Pressfield, author of The Legend of Bagger Vance and other highly reputed works (recommended reading at Oxford and so forth)… such as Gates of Fire and Tides of War, which I should probably read. Being right there at the store I was able to walk up to the main desk and order 6 copies on the spot, and purchase the one on the shelf for me.

After the others left, I couldn't wait to dive into it. I quickly drank up a third of it and you see how it has affected me. Here I am now, writing! It is such a healthy kick in the pants and just what the doctor ordered. I heartily recommend it for anyone who feels a special calling on their life.

Besides sharing from our personal lives and actual stories, I shared a mini devotional on Ephesians 4, which interestingly enough had a triple whammy effect on me this morning.

While I was exercising I heard Pastor Jimenez bellowing, ‘Don’t sit on your hands’. What an interesting rebuke to a writer, I thought. Since I was in the middle of doing my push-ups, my eyes rested on my hands. Where would I be without my hands? And, what good are your hands if you're sitting on them? On the other hand (ha, pun intended) what power and potential lies within our own fingertips!

I showered, dressed and came down to the office. I've been reading the Message version of the New Testament lately and opened to the page where I left off. Quite unexpectedly, I came across the same exact phrase in Eph 4! In fact, the whole section relates beautifully to the writers’ group. Here are the outstanding excerpts:

“In light of all this, here’s what I want you to do… I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don’t want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don’t want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love…

You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together… God and Father of all who rules over all works through all and is present in all…. But that doesn’t mean you should all look and speak and act the same.

Out of the generosity of Christ, each of us is given his own gift…. prophet, evangelist, and teacher… His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love.”
Eph 4:1-16

As if that isn’t enough, would you believe that when I got into the car my New Testament CD came in at exactly the same passage! Wow, God is telling me, don’t sit on your hands! Write kid, write! Now is the time! Use your gifts! What a holy calling!

Dear Lord, how I praise you, Creator of the Universe who hung the stars upon nothing. You are the God of the impossible. I was telling the ladies about the lesson of the fig (mouni) tree in Aumi. Remember how I looked outside my bathroom window in tears one day complaining to you about the impossible tasks. You listened patiently, waiting for me to notice the astounding lollypop fruit budding out from the wooden branches. No leaves, no buds, just fruit emerging straight out of the woody sticks!

Wow! I will never forget the sense of wonder and amazement I felt at seeing that for the first time—really seeing it-- even though we had lived there for years already! The landscape hadn’t changed. I just needed my eyes to be open. I am the God of the impossible, you said in my heart. If I can do this, I can do what needs to be done in your life too.

Oh yes, Lord, YOU flow through my veins and pump through this little vessel to produce what pleases you.

Forgive me Father for sitting on my hands for so long. By your great grace Lord, lead me on!