Monthly Archives: October 2006

NaNoWriMo

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I just heard of this this summer, and how could I not sign-up?

Short for National Novel Writing Month, it is in its 7th year. Hey, who couldn’t love the power of deadline, right? My screen name there is Iliamna (a deep Alaskan body of water and an Alaskan volcano– don’t try to read too much into that, I just like the sound of the name).  I don’t know if that link is usable or not, but it was worth a try.  Takes me there, anyway.
The two main rules (from my perspective/that I’m supposed to follow) are:

  1. Don’t work on something you’ve already started– you’ll care to much to work fast and make word-count (50,000 to “win”).
  2. You can’t start until November 1st.

The first I readily identify with and can understand. It’s the second that’s harder for me (though, currently I am still resisting– it’s been good for my in-progress novel, recieving as it does the focus of my noveling interest).

I love starts. I love diving into the middle of some action or tension or dialogue or meeting and swimming to the surface from there. My Shadow Swan effort (currently at 13,427 words) I have “started” at least four times. This has resulted in 23 pages that still will connect with the right interim, since I enter the story from a different place each time. I can pretend they’re all chapter-starts, I guess.

So far they work for me.

I also opened a new blog, to sort of track my “progress” and have something to look at next year (if I find I want to do it again).  I also chose to make it sort-of invisible (no links there) so that the only people that read it will be folks I’m asking specific advice, and similarly-enough engaged in this insanity to overlook things like spelling and plausibility.

Anyway, wish me luck. In less than a month my free-time will be wholly taken-up (I believe) with actually writing on a project.

I’m reading something off the best-seller list!

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Probably for the first time in my life. Though, in my own defense, I didn’t know it was there when I bought it. ;o)

The Thirteenth Tale is one of those stories within a story, where the frame and the content reflect on one another and (you know inevitably) they will entwine.

Sort of a love-letter to Story and reading at times, its beginning especially reminded me of Inkheart. In that story the protagonist’s father is a book doctor (rebinding, restoring old books) in this, the protagonist’s father owns a used-book shop, and makes his living on 6 or so transactions a year, involving rare books and their collectors.

Both protagonists are female and well read; they enjoy reading almost as a religion, drawing strength and security from familiar tomes. Also, they both have mothers that are alive but absent. Not through abandoning or divorce but other circumstances that result in the protagonists’ being unusually (though not inappropriately) close to their fathers.

I told Jay about five pages into this one that it was the same story by a different author. But it isn’t, quite. The style of this one (Thirteen) is quite elaborate and is loaded unashamedly with metaphor and simile, but (in contrast to some other books I’ve read: Inkheart and The Goose Girl come to mind) they don’t draw attention to themselves (very much) so I can enjoy their originality more without thinking to much about how clever the author is trying to be.

It has been such fun having a novel to read. I’ve missed it. It just seems like there’s so many stinkers out there I’m reluctant to invest my time without knowing more. But then, sometimes, knowing more takes the sharpest edge of the fun off. That is, known books are familiar friends, but they don’t make you tense from excitement or not-knowing. At least… I guess it depends how often (or recently) you’ve read them.

I am enjoying this book. About a third of the way through.

Interestingly enough, I started another book after I picked Thirteen up (a new book from Sunday School). Created to be His Help Meet, by Debi Pearl. It has been just as fascinating, though in an entirely different way.

Is “homemaking” enough or isn’t it? (Pt. 4 of 4)

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Okay, this started out as a 3-parter, but I found there was a bit more I wanted to tie up.

Since I’m working under a title that’s supposed to be a question, I guess I’ll try to answer it from (how else can I?) my perspective.

Here’s the best I can think it right now:

  • If homemaking is “merely” maintaining your abode and filling the bellies of those who sleep there, then No. Absolutely it is not enough.

  • If it all is lovingly done “as to the Lord,” as well as for those that are fed, more than just physically, from your hand, and done conscientiously to create an atmosphere of peace, safety and all those things that are good, but take effort, then, Yes. It has to be enough.

The way we teach our children to value something is to show them that we value it (this is what I attribute our young children’s tremendous respect for books to).

If I fell into the habit of “looking” for some service to do, to supplement my home-work, I would effectively be telling my girls that what I do at home (or the people I serve by what I do at home) has less value than anything else I may do.

If I had been less brain-fogged (and guilted) into doing the shopping, it would have been at the direct expense of some already very stressed humans (myself included). It would have said, “I know (or don’t care) you are tired and over- stimulated and needing quiet time, but her needs are more important than (y)ours.”

The scripture that continually reverberates when I (consciously) weigh these decisions is 1 Timothy 5:8.

I’ll not attempt to explain the verse or draw out any deep meanings (and, yes, I know it isn’t directly tied to mothering) but I will say this: I believe my job is to (and does) provide for my family. So I must consider their needs first.

These are the basics.

But once those basics are covered, “service” can look like just about anything. It can be exciting and enjoyed. “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” (Gal. 6:10)

“As we have opportunity” seems like a good way to say, “What fits.” These (for me), in addition to my homemaking, are frequently those “divine appointments,” those perfectly coordinated “random” meetings that bless all parties, whether with an encouraging word or a helping hand.

They make me glow for days, and I understand again that we were created to serve.

Something very exciting to me is that I’m beginning to get that same thrill from things that happen in our home. It’s like a curtain is pulled back and I see an exciting potential. I observe an unprovoked act of kindness or service, and I experience the joy of feeling, We’re on the right track!