Weekend Links: Quick Writing, Anxiety, the Passive Voice, and more!

"The Value of 10 Minutes: Writing Advice for the Time-Less Academic":

Let’s start with the obvious point that writing in short bursts will declaw the activity of writing precisely by demystifying and normalizing it. If writing is something you can do in 10 minutes, like running to the mailroom or shoving a sandwich down your throat, then it seems hardly worth the paralyzing stress it tends to cause so many of us. 

"No Wonder We Hate To Buy Cars":

I hold to the philosophy of buying new and driving until the serious problems begin—maybe seven or eight years with the right brand, all the scheduled maintenance, and a little bit of luck. I hold to this position largely because I consider cars magic. They exist far beyond the boundaries of science and reason and firmly within the realm of wizardry. I have no idea how they work and live with the fear that if I touch anything beyond the gas cap, I will disrupt the sorcery and cause a total breakdown. 

"Anxiety and Depression, My Strange Friends":

So if anxiety and/or depression is your affliction, I am sharing this part of my story to remind you that there’s no shame in suffering from this or any other affliction. In fact, our afflictions may be the key to our fruitfulness as ministers. “Damaged” does not mean “ineffective.” It does not mean “done.”

-Elena's ode to the passive voice is both funny and touching. I love the sentence, "Still, my rebel soul's been captivated/by peace."  Go read the rest here.

-And finally, for aspiring writers out there, this week on her "Simple Mom" podcast, Tsh Oxenreider and her agent, Jenni Burke, give a really good overview of how acquiring an agent and getting published works these days.  If you're looking for an introduction to the subject, this one is nice and comprehensive.

Links!

"You don't put your life into books. You find it there."

At a certain stage of writing, I have great difficulty reading other fiction. But this is akin to saying “I have great difficulty breathing oxygen.” And when, as now, the intense writing stage stretches out somewhat longer than expected, I begin to get…squirrely. I’m crafting my own story while holding my breath. I crave a nice deep inhalation of fiction.

"Tim Keller's Top 10 Evangelism Tips" (Hat tip: Challies):

A while ago on our elder retreat we listened to a talk Tim Keller gave at Lausanne. As part of that talk he gave 10 tips to help our lay folk in their evangelism. They were so helpful I wanted to put them down somewhere, so here they are . . .

St. Patrick's Breastplate:

The Breastplate is an odd song with an odd tune and it comes from an odd people. Chesterton talks about the Gaels of Ireland as the men that God made mad, for all their wars are merry, and all their songs are sad. Growing up among the Irish in America, I'd say that's about right. There's a fierceness, an a mystic tenacity about St. Patrick's Breastplate that's quintessentially Irish. It's a hymn for those who see the supernatural as a plain fact, as plain as potatoes. 

Finally, christianaudio.com's free download this month is "Hearing God" by Dallas Willard. This is a great book (you can read my review of it here) and I encourage you take advantage of this offer (I did!).

Peace of Christ to you,
Jessica Snell

Links! - Marie Curie's daughters, a Dutch superbus and a gospel-sharing priest

Just a few links today!

I remember reading a biography of Marie Curie when I was young, but I'd never heard about her daughters. Wow, what a story!

I want a Dutch superbus! This think is like the Batmobile meets and 24-passenger van (is there such a thing as a 24-passenger van?); it's amazing.

This story about an evangelical (as in, evangelizing) Catholic priest is inspiring! I think Father Tony has the right idea! We should all share our Lord's love as easily and as cheerfully. (Hat tip to Conversion Diary for the link.)

on speaking of God

I've wondered, for a long time, how I should witness, how I should share the gospel. My sister said something yesterday about always being sure that the people around you know that you know and love Jesus. Then you can always tell them the gospel and they will always know they can ask.

Then, this morning, I read this in St. Francis de Sales' "Introduction to the Devout Life"

If you love God heartily, my child, you will often speak of Him among your relations, household, and familiar friends . . . Even as the bee touches naught save honey with his tongue, so should your lips be ever sweetened with your God, knowing nothing more pleasant than to praise and bless His Holy Name . . . But always remember, when you speak of God, that He is God; and speak reverently and with devotion, not affectedly or as if you were preaching, but with a spirit of meekness, love and humility; dropping honey from your lips (like the Bride in the Canticles) in devout and pious words, as you speak to one or another around, in your secret heart the while asking God to let this soft heavenly dew sink into their minds as they hearken. And remember very specially always to fulfill this angelic task meekly and lovingly, not as though you were reproving others, but rather winning them. It is wonderful how attractive a gentle, pleasant manner is, and how much it wins hearts.

This answers a lot of my questions. I have been slowly trying to mention God more and more to people I know or happen to meet, and it is getting easier, because the longer I live, the more of my life and heart I open up to Him. And the more I submit my life to His will, the more all my activities revolve around Him. So that, eventually, I can't talk about anything I'm doing - parenting, writing, even housekeeping - without making mention of my Lord. So witnessing becomes natural.

I think. It still scares me - I'm so scared of doing it wrongly that I don't do it at all. Often and often, that is the sad truth. But this passage from St. Francis encourages me, makes me think that I'm on the right track, and gives me hope that God will overcome both my fear and my puzzlement, and that someday, everyone I meet will meet Him too.

I'm so not good at this. But He is. And I have to trust that He'll help me.

And I really like St. Francis' instruction here to pray for others while we are speaking to them. The seems very, very right.

peace of Christ to you,
Jessica Snell

judge not

I've been (very, very slowly) reading through "The Illumined Heart" by Frederica Mathewes-Green. Very, very slowly because it's my purse book - a tiny book that fits in my purse, that I pull out and read on those rare occasions when I'm sitting somewhere, waiting, and don't have children with me. So, like, doctor's offices, basically. :)

Anyway, I recently read in there these words:

"How can we evaluate another's deeds and respond to them, perhaps even bring about correction and justice, and yet not judge them? To answer that question, picture a courtroom. See where the judge sits? Don't sit there. That's God's seat, and he will judge on the last day."

She goes on to say:

"Until that day, we linger in the courtroom as the dear friend of the accused."

I was very struck by that image, and wondered what it would look like. Well, pretty soon after reading that, I heard a real life example of what it might look like.

I was listening to Dave Ramsey's podcast. Dave Ramsey is a financial guru, very sensible, and he podcasts his call-in radio show. He was talking to one guy (and I'm going from memory here, so forgive any mistakes) and it turned out that this fellow hadn't filed his tax returns. Dave gave him advice on his other problems, and then his voice turned very urgent as he addressed the tax problem. He told him, basically, "You have to do this. You have to file YESTERDAY. Not filing and paying is breaking the law, and you're going to be in huge trouble. Fix it now, so you don't get in huge trouble."

And I thought, "wow, that's what Frederica Mathewes-Green is talking about." It felt like an exact example of the attitude she was urging us to have towards our fellow sinners. The radio host didn't say, "I condemn you for your unlawful actions" he said, "you messed up - fix it while there is still time."

And that's how we're supposed to help one another, when we see sin in each other's lives. Not "well, there's no hope for you" but "hey, you're in trouble, and you'll be in worse trouble soon. Quick! Fix it while there's still time!"


peace of Christ to you,
Jessica Snell