Celebrating Good Things

If you heard the podcast yesterday, you heard my desperate plea for prayer for my writing project. If you didn't hear it yet, let me just catch you up!

A few weeks ago I received a writing assignment for a week's worth of devotional readings. I've done these assignments before, and I always find them challenging (in a good way). It's a whole different kind of writing to create something meaningful in just a few words. Each devo has to be just over 200 words, and that isn't much space! Every word matters when you can only say a few.

But this time, in addition to the format challenge, the passage I'd been assigned was challenging. For many days, I read and reread the assigned Scripture, and it utterly baffled me. I usually have a pretty decent understanding of the passages, but this one was so above my head. And I had to write six separate days of devotions from that one passage.

GULP.

I consulted my favorite commentary, and it was over my head too. My friend Kari suggested looking at John Wesley's commentary, which I did, and right in the middle of his thoughts, John said, "This is a perplexed passage." NO JOKE, JOHN!!! It both comforted and exasperated me that he agreed; it was good to know I wasn't alone, but I really needed some insight!

My deadline was fast approaching, and no matter how much time I spent studying and waiting for inspiration, my mind was utterly blank.

After Ryan went to work yesterday, I looked up essential oil combos for focus and clarity, filled up my diffuser, poured a fresh cup of coffee, grabbed a couple of Bibles (different versions), and prayed hard for words.

And. They. Came.

I sat at my desk, only allowing myself breaks for more coffee and the bathroom, and didn't stop until all seven days of devos were written.

Now, to be sure, they need some polishing. But they're written with a few polishing days to spare. I knew God would come through. I never doubted it. I've been in this writing boat before. But I wasn't sure how much spare time I'd have between the arrival of the words and the due date. I'm so grateful for a cushion!

After I finished my writing, I met up with my friend Joyce, who is co-presenting with me at a church conference next month. Joyce is a new friend, but she feels like she's been in my life always, which is such a good and calming feeling. We had just a few minutes to go over our outline and talk about what we felt the Lord leading us to share. I was freshly grateful that the devotions were already written, because that closure in my mind allowed me to fully focus on my time with her and the workshop we will share.

And then I headed off to the eye doctor for my annual visit. I wasn't worried, because, well, I can see. But my Type-A personality tends to turn things like this into some sort of classroom final exam. I must get an A. I must be the best eye student they've ever had in the history of all time.

(Eyeroll.) (Appropriately.)

Turning 40 brought me a bit of curiosity, because it was somewhere around this age that my mom's perfect vision began to falter just a bit. I figure I'm about due. I can't ride the better-than-perfect-vision wave forever.

So I stressed out over every single line I read. True story: I actually built up so much pressure in my mind that when I tried to read the 20/15 line, I could see it just fine, but I got tongue-tied on SAYING the letters. Try explaining that one!

In the end, he said my vision hadn't changed from last year and everything looked top notch. I earned my A. He joked with me, "You can go home and go back to taking your vision for granted."

But I don't.

I know it's not fair that I don't even need readers when I basically do everything wrong. I'm looking at screens way over half the day. If I'm not looking at a screen, I'm reading a book, and probably not in full light. I know it's not fair that I'm 40 and still cruising. And I do not take that for granted at all. It's a gift, I know it, and I do appreciate it.

So I celebrate yesterday. I celebrate the good physical vision, and I celebrate the vision-of-heart God granted in my writing and my meeting. I'm thankful. And since I don't pause to say thanks nearly as often as I should, I want to do it right now.