Monday Morning Notes

Notes from Pastor's sermon on June 26th: "He Must Increase, But I Must Decrease" - John 3: 22-34.

How do we live as Christians in a culture of self-promotion, a cult of self, a kind of idol worship?

• How do we see ourselves?
• How do we see Jesus?
• How do we respond?

John the Baptist, the greatest man who ever lived according to Jesus himself, is our model.

• John saw himself as the friend of the bridegroom or the best man - privileged, special to the bridegroom (Jesus) with a limited task, when his task is over (presenting the bride in Jewish tradition) he steps joyfully out of the way
• John saw Jesus as above all, from heaven (everyone and everything else is from earth), speaking God's words, all things placed in his hands
• John responded by saying, "He must increase, but I must decrease". Not an option, but a necessity because of who He is and who we are.

• Do we see ourselves humbly and gratefully accepting God's gift of our place and task? Do we step aside?
• Do we see Jesus as above all, on an entirely higher plane, as God's salvation for the world?
• Do we respond with "he must increase, but I must decrease"? Do people see me first or Jesus first?

This is a daily, moment by moment affirmation.

Additional passages: Galatians 2:20 and Philippians 1:20-21.

Who Can Relate?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aly7bSv6xUs&feature=player_embedded

Wannabe.....

I have to say that the writing I am currently most proud of are the scenes I've managed to write on my novel-in-progress. The thought of an entire book is rather overwhelming, thus my work on it is in fits and starts. But when I finally do plant my seat in the chair, tear myself away from Facebook, Twitter, and “How to Write” blogs, and actually pound out some scenes, I am almost always surprised and pleased with the results. So, Wannabe Novelist, why aren’t you writing?

Harder Than You Think

When I first started writing intentionally for publication, I imagined I would be mainly a personal-experience essay writer. Easy right? No research. Just whip out a piece about how you feel about something that happened to you. Ack! NOT so easy! Hard! I did sell one or two. Turned one into a series of devotions that sold. You really really have to have something to say that people want to hear. How-to pieces or articles about the ancient Egyptian pharaohs might be easier……

Calling All Writer Mamas!

Christina Katz ~ The Empowered Writer is giving away a book every day in the month of May to celebrate Mother's Day month! All you have to do to be entered in the daily drawing is to comment each day on the appropriate post responding to her writing prompts. And it's great fun getting to know the Writer Mamas she is introducing us to! Do be sure to read "Da Rules" before you start commenting. See you there!

Anthologies

Never have submitted to an anthology. To be honest, I don’t read anthologies much, so I guess it never occurred to me. I’ll be interested to hear about others’ experiences with submitting to and being published in anthologies. Is it possibly a good “breaking in” strategy? Would you recommend it to beginning-to-be-published writers?

Do you read anthologies? If you do, what do you like about them?

Hometown

Have I ever written for a local newspaper? Well, that would be yes, I have. It was the paper for the community in which I grew up and I was very pleased to have an article of mine accepted and paid for! Having (at that time) recently moved away from my hometown, I wrote a piece about what it was like coming back. Hmmm. Makes me think I ought to be thinking about pieces for the paper of my current community!

The Hunt for Just the Right Word

Which do I prefer writing – fiction or nonfiction? What I prefer is writing – yes, fiction and nonfiction! I love wordcrafting whether it’s creating a story or describing a true event.  It’s the hunt for just the right word, the phrase that lets you see the picture in my head or helps you to understand. It’s putting words together so that my meaning is clear, so that you are enlightened, stirred, or entertained. So that you gasp as the heroine slides towards the cliff. So that the steps to create a recipe make sense. Committee reports, newsletter articles, self-help articles, devotionals, novels – I love writing them all!