by Cathy Baker | Faith |
“Get out of my way!” the burly bully shouted, while shoving his young son into the end-cap at Target. I paused to pay the clerk until I was certain he’d caught a glimpse of the righteous anger welling up within me. He had been seen and I wanted him to know it.
The little boy regained his balance and cowered behind his mother, who looked to be as terrified as he was, if not more. If this man abuses his family in public what must he do behind closed doors?
Pushing my buggy back into place, a woman approached me. “I know exactly how you feel.” Her head lowered as she sauntered slowly back to her mini-van.
Should I call the police? Did I even have the right to do so? I didn’t know, but this brief encounter with domestic abuse jolted the rosy-colored glasses clean off my head.
The incident was very unfortunate, but no coincidence. The terrified woman now has at least one person standing in the gap for her.
Will you join me in praying for this family? I sense it may be an expansive gap in need of prayer warriors—especially on behalf of the burly bully.
Jesus looked at them and said,
“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Matthew 19:26
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
A subscription to Southern Writers Magazine neared the top of my Christmas list this past year and it’s since proven to be one gift that keeps on giving.
Every issue includes information on critiquing, blogging, building your brand, and other relevant helps for writers of all levels and genres. Featured articles are simply superb!
One such article is by Tracy Crump entitled The Golden Rule of Critiquing. I plan to share her invaluable insights with my own critique group next month. Tracy also contributes to one of my favorite writing blogs The Write Life.
Although the feel of slick paper between my fingers tends to make me a bit giddy, I chose to subscribe to the Southern Writers Magazine’s digital issues. (And my heavy-laden bookshelves heave a collective sigh of relief.)
I encourage you to stop by, take your shoes off, pour a cup of sweet tea, and enjoy these two favorite places of mine on the way to wherever you’re going today.
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones is a new favorite. I slurped it down quicker than the cream-laden coffee nearby.
Simple advice, yes. But who knew a cheap spiral notebook would set me free?
“Think, too, about your notebook. It is important. This is your equipment, like hammer and nails to a carpenter. Sometimes people buy expensive hardcover journals. They are bulky and heavy, and because they are fancy, you are compelled to write something good. Instead you should feel that you have permission to write the worst junk in the world and it would be okay. Give yourself a lot of space in which to explore writing. A cheap spiral notebook lets you feel that you can fill it quickly and afford another.”
Bound pages, devoid of ink, line my bookshelves anticipating “just the right words” to one day be written upon them. How had I missed such an obvious sign of perfectionistic emptiness? So freeing was this revelation that I immediately hopped in my car and headed to Target for…you guessed it, cheap spiral notebooks.
A different color notebook for each genre now awaits my writing time each day. It’s amazing how one simple change can be so freeing.
Perfectionism, whether it be in the sphere of writing, organization, appearance, or a particular skill can stifle God’s best for us. A cheap spiral notebook may not be everyone’s answer to stifling perfectionism, but pinpointing our area of vulnerability is the first step in making that one change that may just set us free.
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
If you write for God you will reach many men and bring them joy. If you write for men—you may make some money and you may give someone a little joy and you may make a noise in the world, for a little while. If you write for yourself, you can read what you yourself have written and after ten minutes you will be so disgusted that you will wish that you were dead. – Thomas Merton, from New Seeds of Contemplation
