Oh, So This is What it's Like.

When we were newly married and stupid, I wanted to have nine kids. Then we had our first, and I said, “Oh. This is what it’s like.” Cuddlings, cooings and cuteness equal roughly 10% of the total time “raising kids.” The other 90% is made up of nights sleeping only four hours, cleaning endless stinky messes, and…well, you know. It took me fifteen whole minutes to change my mind and settle on two offspring instead of nine.

When I told the Lord concerning writing, “This is what I want to do with my life!” I didn’t realize I was repeating history. It took me another whole fifteen minutes to realize that writing equals about 10% of what I fill my hours with. Revising, editing, nights sleeping only four hours… well, you know. It's much like raising kids. The difference is, I’m not changing my mind. I still want to write.

Yesterday a thought zinged into my brain that had to be from Jesus; I’m not smart enough to come up with this one:

No one’s job is 100% what they originally thought it would be.

A police officer wants to help curb crime and protect innocent people, then spends endless hours doing paperwork and breaking up marital fights.

A preacher dreams of winning souls to Christ and helping believers grow in their faith, then spends endless hours going to board meetings and refereeing fights between Sister Sassy and Brother Brouhaha.

A nurse longs to cure ills and save lives, then spends endless hours cleaning bed pans and soothing ruffled feathers of disgruntled family members.

Does that make you feel better, knowing we writers are not the only ones forced to do tedious, less-than-exciting tasks to keep our books, articles, and poems rolling along? Probably the only difference between us and the other folks I mentioned is: they get paid a fat wad more!! Oh, well…

Blessings on you precious friends and patient "parents" as you write (and edit, and fix, and revise) for your Audience of One. HE will reward every little thing you do for Him!
Jen