Brian: “What would you like for Christmas?” Me (without hesitation): “Time management sessions.” Brian: “No, really.”
Me: “Really.”
Little did he know I was referring to sessions with one of the sharpest women I know, Cynthia Owens, of Go With Vision…Simplifying Work and Life. We’ve been friends for years, she leads our CrossNPens writer’s group, and has a stellar reputation in corporate settings.
Cynthia Owens
During a recent session, Cynthia laid two pieces of notebook paper on the table. On one, a list of to-do’s for my part-time job. On the other, my writing projects. It was a heavy work week (training) resulting in sparse writing. I love love love my new PT work at the church but I’d missed my writing time that week.
Cynthia nudged the sheets till they touched and asked, “Why does one get preference over the other?” After a few seconds of silence, she answered, “Because someone is waiting on this,” as she pointed to my work list. “No one is waiting on this,” pointing to my writing projects.
And there it was in all His glory.
I knew what Cynthia meant. More than likely, no one would email or text for updates on my writing projects. It’s a self-motivated kind of calling. While I heard her words, my soul perceived this sweet revelation instead:
Only God knows how many people are “waiting on this” — your writing.
It may be one person. It may be thousands. Only God knows. All I know—all we know—is that we are to engage our God-given gift regardless if anyone expects it or not.
Oh, the sweet revelations of our heavenly Father, taking mere mortal words and transforming them into heavenly ones.
How great are your works, O Lord! Your thoughts are very deep!
Psalm 92:5
Note: If you’re interested in seeking Cynthia’s help but do not live locally, don’t despair! Contact her about long distance options via her Web site at Go with Vision.
While giving a book review on Twyla Tharp’s, The Creative Habit, at this month’s writers’ meeting, I pronounced creatively
as if it was a five syllable word: cre-a-tiv-e-ly. I caught it before
it left my tongue but by then it was too late. Let’s just say the review
quickly morphed into comic relief. I’m still getting emails from group
members saying how much they enjoyed it. As comedian Mark Lowery used
to say, “I just wanna be a blessing!”
Not so long ago, questions like, What kind of writer mispronounces such a common word? Will my peers think I’m stupid? would’ve pummeled by conscience for days. Truth
is, I’ve been creating “new” words, sharing Southernisms (common words
for Southerners, not so common to others), unintentionally reversing the
order of well-known phrases, and mispronouncing your favorite words for
years. (Brian has kept a running tab of my new,
funky and mispronounced word choices for the past twenty-five years, just for the fun of it.)
A number of touch-points in recent months, however, have given me a NEW way of approaching my silly blunders, and that is to ask myself the question: So what?
Do I care what others think? Of course I do, but it’s when I become overly concerned that the hissing of self-judgment slithers its way to my heart, leaving it vulnerable to the enemy of lies.
Bottom line, if God isn’t offended by my blunders, I shouldn’t be either. Oh the joy that comes in knowing that the Hard-Wirer of my soul loves me, my quirks, my endless blunders—and dare I say, my comic relief?
Your turn! When your words or actions fumble are you quick to recover? Please say you do these things. 🙂
For
we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which
God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10
Cathy Baker
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It may be one person. It may be thousands. Only God knows. All I know—all we know—is that we are to engage our God-given gift regardless if anyone expects it or not. 
