A Step in the Write Direction
December 2, 2013
Update: Can you believe it’s December already! My mother used to say that when
you got older, the time went faster—and she was right! At church yesterday, the
first Sunday of Advent, our pastor talked on the Second Coming of Christ, and
he suggested that one way to show His light is to do one act of kindness for
the next 24 days. Is this something you could do? Pay for someone’s lunch
(maybe someone in the military), let someone ahead of you in line, shovel
someone’s sidewalk—if you live in snow country?...I know the Advent devotions I
used last week and today aren’t really Writer’s Tips, but yet in a way they are
as they show you how you can use everyday events in writing devotionals or as
illustrations in nonfiction articles….If you live in Arizona and would like to
schedule a one- or two-day writers workshops, let me know. I’m making out my
schedule for next year. Possible sites so far: Tucson and Prescott Valley but
would like more in Maricopa County. I’m also available for speaking at
luncheons, retreats, etc.
Thought for Today: Either we Christian
writers mean business about winning souls for God, or we should go out of
business….If you have been ordained to write, woe to you if you put everything
else first. Woe to you if you do not give to God the best part of the day when
you are most alert, when…the juices are flowing and the mind is creative….We
have the greatest subject in all history, the Man from Nazareth…the greatest
commodity, the gospel; the greatest book, the Bible; the greatest gift to
offer, eternal salvation. If that doesn’t motivate us…we’re in trouble
(Sherwood Wirt, late editor of Decision magazine).
Laugh for Today: A
man was told he needed surgery.
"Let me tell you how quickly I work," said the doctor. "I believe in getting my patients up and
around very quickly. Three hours
following the operation you'll sit up.
Five hours after, you'll stand up.
Eight hours later you'll be walking."
"Fine,"
the patient agreed, "but will you let me lie down during the
operation?"
Song for Today: (My nephew, Dave Clark, is one of the
co-writers of this song, along with Don Koch, David Allen, and Mark Harris,
which will be performed tonight on CMA Christmas by Roscoe Flatts.)
A
Strange Way to Save the World
Sure he must have been
surprised
At where this road had taken him
'Cause never in a million lives
Would he had dreamed of Bethlehem
And standing at the manger
He saw with his own eyes
The message from the angel come to life
And Joseph said...
(CHORUS)
Why me, I'm just a simple man of trade
Why Him, with all the rulers in the world
Why here inside this stable filled with hay
Why her, she's just an ordinary girl
At where this road had taken him
'Cause never in a million lives
Would he had dreamed of Bethlehem
And standing at the manger
He saw with his own eyes
The message from the angel come to life
And Joseph said...
(CHORUS)
Why me, I'm just a simple man of trade
Why Him, with all the rulers in the world
Why here inside this stable filled with hay
Why her, she's just an ordinary girl
Now I'm not one to
second guess what angels have to say
But this is such a strange way to save the world
To think of how it could have been
If Jesus had come as He deserved
There would have been no Bethlehem
No lowly shepherds at His birth
But Joseph knew the reason
Love had to reach so far
And as he held the Savior in his arms
He must have thought...
(CHORUS)
Now I'm not one to second guess what angels have to say
But this is such a strange way to save the world
...this is such a strange way to save the world...
But this is such a strange way to save the world
To think of how it could have been
If Jesus had come as He deserved
There would have been no Bethlehem
No lowly shepherds at His birth
But Joseph knew the reason
Love had to reach so far
And as he held the Savior in his arms
He must have thought...
(CHORUS)
Now I'm not one to second guess what angels have to say
But this is such a strange way to save the world
...this is such a strange way to save the world...
Writer’s Tips:
(Day #2 of Preparing Your Heart for Christmas—31
Devotions for the Advent Season)
It’s Mine!
“If anyone is in
Christ, he is a new creation” (1 Corinthians 5:17).
I was only seven years
old when it happened, but I can still remember the details clearly.
My older brother had a
job putting bicycles together at a local hardware store. One night, just before
Christmas, as I sat in the car waiting for him to finish, I saw the owner place
a
beautiful doll in my
brother’s arms. Rolling down the window, I heard the man say,“ Give this to
Donna for Christmas.”
I kept my excitement
hidden when he got in the car, not wanting him to know I had heard. But when he
told my mother at home, “This is for ‘Susan’ (the owner’s daughter that he
liked), I shouted out, “No, it’s mine! I heard ‘Mr. Parker’ say so!”
My mother called Mr.
Parker, straightened out the story, and gave the doll to me.
Aren’t you glad that
when God gave us the gift of His Son, He didn’t give Him to just one race of
people, or just to the wealthy or beautiful or super-intelligent?
Even though some may
say we can’t have a personal experience with Christ, I’m so thankful I can say,
“He’s mine! I heard God say so!”
Have a good week spreading the
gospel through the printed page.
Donna
Clark Goodrich
dgood648@aol.com
www.thewritersfriend.net
http://donna-goodrich.blogspot.com
SALE: Books by Donna Clark Goodrich
Will take IOUs or postdated checks for up to 30 days!!
Christmas Is Coming…These Will Make Great Gifts!!
Title of Book_________________ Regular
Price Sale Price
(plus s&h)
A Step in the Write
Direction, the Complete
How-to Book
for Christian Writers $25.00 $15.00
A Step—Student Edition w/assignments
throughout
book $17.00 $10.00
The Freedom of Letting Go $15.00 $10.00
Healing in God’s Time—story of Dave Clark,
songwriter of 25 #1 songs $15.00 $10.00
Preparing Your Heart for Christmas—
31 Advent
devotions $10.00 $ 7.00
Ohio Cookbook $10.00 $ 7.00
Michigan Cookbook $10.00 $ 7.00
Writer’s Club Booklet (self-published) $15.00 $15.00 (Sorry!)
Motivational Moments $10.00 $ 5.00
Celebrate Christmas anthology—stories,
poems, and recipes $24.95 $17.00
Grandmother/Mother anthology—stories,
poems, and
recipes $24.95 $17.00
Grandfather/Father anthology—stories,
poems, and
recipes $24.95 $17.00
Divine Healing—365 devotions for
dieters $10.00
* * *
Coming in 2014: The
Little Book of Big Laughs (joke book)—160 pages for only $5.95
Rhyme-Time Bible Stories for Little Ones—12 Bible stories in poetry
Donna Goodrich, dgood648@aol.com;
www.thewritersfriend.net; will send writers’ blog every Monday to your email,
or go to: http://donna-goodrich.blogspot.com
No comments:
Post a Comment