Notes in the Night by Andy Scheer

I had an article coming due, but no idea what to write.

I went to bed convincing myself not to worry. Before the deadline, I’d get an idea.

I'd just watched a TV drama one of Agatha Christie’s stories with detective Hercule Poirot, known for trusting the work of his “little gray cells.”

My bedside clock showed 3:30. I knew what I’d write.

I also knew that if I didn’t record my idea, I'd stay awake for the next hour, fearing that come morning, it would be gone.

I found a pencil and yesterday’s Dilbert calendar page and trudged to the bathroom. Under the nightlight I scribbled a working title and a few supporting details. A quick drink of water and I went back to sleep until 7:30.

By daylight my note still made sense. For good measure, I scribbled working titles for two more articles.

Let’s hear it for little gray cells — and little sheets of paper.

Hard Work and Determination by Diana Flegal

Hard work and determination is supposed to equal success. Yet someone seems to have changed the playing field and thrown the rules up in the air. They swirl around, refusing to fall into any sensible order.

“I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it”
― Thomas Jefferson

yet often...

“It is a pity that doing one's best does not always answer.”
― Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre

When the landmarks get shifted as they have in the world of publishing, it can be difficult to get or keep your bearings.

I am a member of the 360* club. That distinguished honor is given to the person trusted with the wheel of a ship, who mistakenly follows the compass instead of  the heading they were instructed to maintain. It seems like you are making the correct course adjustment but instead you adjust your heading by turning the ship's wheel continuously to the right, turning the ship in a complete circle. At the wheel - looking forward from the helm in the midst of the open sea, the helmsman or woman has no idea what they are doing. But if you are standing in the stern looking out you can see the ships wake and guess the circumstances.

Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards."

Vernon Sanders Law (born 1930);  Major League Baseball Pitcher found at Values.com

What keeps your course steady in the midst of swirling seas? Have you a meditation or promise you hold onto? Do you pursue your goals in meticulous steps, checking off each accomplished task?

Mark Batterson, in his title Soul Print said: Many of us find our confidence in things we can control. But Holy confidence is not circumstantial- it is providential. Holy confidence puts God in between us and our circumstances.

What anchors you in times of uncertainty?

Lawrence Chewning wrote and shares here the inspiration behind the song, The Anchor Holds.

Carried Along by Jim Hart

Writing words begins with inspiration. When something jostles our spirit, and our hearts are deeply stirred, we start thinking of words. And the inspiration that has gripped us is squeezed out onto the page. And I doubt if we can vocalize those words better than we can write them down. Speech can be clumsy. Writing is graceful. Our hand says what our tongue longs to express, but cannot say out loud. That’s the power of inspiration.

Inspiration comes from many sources. Sometimes the most powerful inspiration comes from exposure to someone who has exercised some sort of influence on our life. Most times this person who has inspired us may never know of their effect on our life.

Chuck Smith passed away last weekend. I hope you recognize his name. His burden for young people to know Jesus, especially those outside of the social norm of the late 60’s and early 70’s – the hippies – caused a revival among a generation that was “looking for love in all the wrong places.” The L.A. Times, in his obituary, described him like this: “A key figure in the ascent of mega-churches, Chuck Smith brought an old-school Christian message to a generation of youths in the counterculture.”

It could be argued that Chuck Smith inspired the Jesus Movement all those years ago. Many of those young people that came to know Jesus through the ministry of Chuck Smith and Calvary Chapel were musicians, and their new faith inspired them to write songs. And those songs inspired a new contemporary expression of faith that inspired worshipers in a way relatable to them. Calvary Chapel’s Maranatha! Music inspired the age of contemporary worship music. And so, in many ways, I have been inspired by Chuck Smith.

Inspiration can result in powerful words that bring about a powerful movement. Scripture was written by people inspired by the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Peter wrote about this inspiration as being “moved and carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21). The Apostle Paul affirmed that “all Scripture is God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16).

The written word is one of the most powerful forces on Earth, especially when inspired. Whether you write fiction or non-fiction, you can’t write without a source of inspiration. Let’s get ‘carried along’ and write some words.

Take a Break by Diana L. Flegal

In a perfect world, the first draft of every story or self help title would be camera ready, every agent that spent countless hours finding the right desk for the right project would shout Eureka as a contract for each one came in offering outstanding advances, every author would sell a gazillion copies and be able to quit  his day job, and all in the chain of publishing's lineup had fat bank accounts enabling them to go on exclusive getaway vacations.

Yes, well, the above has to be labeled  Fiction and truthfully is a boring story at that. A story with out conflict or too many sweet moments one after the other is...well boring.

Really we ask? Really?

Rather we might remark, welcome to my life. A life where I have re written this story so many times I can't stand it anymore. Where my bum goes numb because I spend so much time sitting at my desk- pounding out my dreams and having hope deferred over and over again. Coffee no longer helps energize me and my dog or cat and even the fish in the bowl stares in a different direction not knowing how they can encourage me anymore, my sighs depressing even their constant optimism. I am sure my agent cringes when I call her/ him and my husbands or wife's favorite refrain is, Show Me the Money.

Maybe it is time for a vacation. A break.

Rest is something we must have in order to refresh ourselves and renew our vision and passion.

It is a good thing that this 4th of July holiday falls in the middle of the week and messes with our routine. And here in Western North Carolina it is raining. The fireworks might have to be delayed and all of our best laid plans might have to be as well. Which leaves us with a break in our schedule that we all probably need more than we are willing to admit.

My radio is broken in my car. That might seem like a random comment. But seriously when I am driving from point A to B, I have nothing that can distract me. In these mountains I do not always get a strong cell signal. I am left alone with God and myself. It has been a revelation to me that I can enjoy that time, allow myself this enforced downtime and even enjoy it.

I encourage you all to unplug. Schedule your tweets and FB posts ahead of time and 'go off the grid'. Stretch the holiday into a long weekend. RELAX. Do not look at your to-do list. But keep a notebook handy. I know you will get inspired, so yes, jot down that thought but resisting turning on your computer. Save it for later. Your tiny note will jog your memory later on.

I hereby give you permission to take a break. Author Bob Hostetler offers you some suggestions here how you might do that. (Thanks to anonymous for sharing one of Bob's prayers in the comment section.)

Happy 4th you all!

See you next week!

Diana