Something I Don't Usually Do

'Tis the season for New Year's Resolutions. I've been so inspired reading some of the resolutions on my friend's blogs. My friend Melissa has a particularly challenging and wonderful list.

I have to admit that I've become pretty negative about resolutions just because I've failed so miserably in the past. I just stopped making them, but this year some "strong ideas" keep hanging around begging to be resolutions. The Holy Spirit is very sweet but can be bossy at times! :)

The first two resolutions actually came from my hubby (via the Holy Spirit!). I'll share one a day this week in this post, Wednesday and Friday. That format is actually one of my resolutions. I'm resolved to blog on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. There...I put it in print so now I have to do it.

The reason for blogging more often is not because I'm convinced that I'm all that fascinating. I laughingly tell my new friends, "So, if you wake up in the morning thinking, 'I wonder what Amy Carroll is thinking about today', I blog." I'm positive that nobody wakes up thinking that, but I'm thankful that some of you read my ramblings anyway.

I really am committed to writing more, because I really want to write more. God is growing this dream in my heart to be a real-life, bonifide writer, and I was talking to Barry about it yesterday. He very pragmatically reminded me that I have a space to "publish" and practice--my blog--and encouraged me to blog more regularly. Thank you, Honey, for a much-needed push in a positive direction (yes, our conversation was more a whining session about the difficulties of getting published!).

I was getting lesson plans ready this afternoon, and read Madelaine L'Engle's Newberry acceptance speech for A Wrinkle in Time. She said something that so applies to my first resolution:

"Most of what is best in writing isn’t done deliberately. Do I mean, then, that an author should sit around like a phony Zen Buddhist in his pad, drinking endless cups of espresso coffee and waiting for inspiration to descend upon him? That isn’t the way the writer works, either. I heard a famous author say once that the hardest part of writing a book was making yourself sit down at the typewriter. I know what he meant. Unless a writer works constantly to improve and refine the tools of his trade they will be useless instruments if and when the moment of inspiration, of revelation, does come. This is the moment when a writer is spoken through, the moment that a writer must accept with gratitude and humility, and then attempt, as best he can, to communicate to others."

So I'm going to sit down at my "typewriter" three times a week. I feel so blessed to be able to do it in a format that lets me build friendships and interact with you.

I'd love to hear about your resolutions!