Little Seeds, Big Clouds and a Clock About to Strike

Habits. Good habits. Bad habits. You need discipline to create good habits and discipline to destroy bad habits. 

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

Discipline. How do you get it? Some people seem to be born with it. Others struggle to maintain it. And still others don’t much care one way or the other. Me?  It depends on the situation. Sometimes, I really just want to see if I can achieve a goal and discipline comes naturally. Other times, I just can’t seem to create that same sense of excitement and my discipline has heads for the hills on a long vacation. 

At the beginning of this year, January 1st to be exact, I decided to do a challenge. A 75 Day Challenge. 

THE 75 DAY CHALLENGE 

Morning Cardio workout

Afternoon strength workout 

Eat 850 calories

Drink 4 litres of water

Read 10 pages of a non fiction book

Every. Day. For a total of 75 days. 

Now I know what you’re thinking. ‘Are you insane?!’ Yes. Well, probably. But all the best people are, aren’t they?

When I heard about the challenge, at first I thought, ‘HA! Yeah right. I wouldn’t last a week!’ I’ve been suffering from a sore lower back for a good year now and thought I’d maybe get through the first three days before pulling my back out again. Then I’d be in bed for a week and back to the Physio. But what if I focused on exercises that didn’t use my back and supported it as much as possible? Was I really going to let my fear of failing and getting hurt get the better of me?

My fear. How many times has it beat me down? It doesn’t feel like that at the time, does it? It keeps me safe. I mean, I don’t want to get hurt and I don’t want to fail.  But what if I succeed, then what do I do? It’s the unknown that my fear keeps me safe from. It’s nice. It’s comforting, but all those big ideas, all the story outlines I jot down for when I have time to come back to them … they just wait. They gather dust. So what my fear has done, is kept me stationary. Never growing, never evolving into something more than what I am. 

So, what’s the point?

I sat down with a lovely couple about a month ago and we were discussing the current issues - the pandemic, emergency mandates, talks of war. We moved to Revelation and how everything looked pretty grim. They said they believed we had maybe another ten years left before the Rapture.

‘Excuse me? I don’t think I heard you correctly. Did you say ten years?’

I hadn’t misheard. Now, don’t get me wrong. No one knows when it’ll happen, but just think about it for a moment. Ten years. That’s all you have left. One hundred and twenty months. Five hundred and twenty weeks. Three thousand, six hundred and fifty days. Eighty seven thousand, six hundred hours. And so on, and so on. But you get it. Ten years left of your life.

Photo by Anne Nygård on Unsplash

I don’t know about you, but should I even be bothering to do a Bachelor Degree that will take me six years to complete part time? And all those story ideas I have, do I just give up on them? It has taken me over a decade to write the story for one of my ideas, what do I do with the other thirty two I have outlined on my computer? All the other things I wanted to do, wanted to see … I don’t know, but ten years doesn’t seem like enough time, especially when procrastination and anxiety are such good friends of mine.

I just don’t know … but then again, I think I do.

It starts with a little seed.

Without a little water, a little dirt, a bit of sunshine, little seeds won’t grow. But if you put in a little effort and don’t mind getting your hands dirty, that seed will sprout roots and habits will grow. 

First things first. Show up. Nothing ever gets done if you don’t first begin. This builds habits. Things you can improve upon. You cannot improve if you don’t have a foundation.

Those big clouds you see in the sky above you. The ones you’ve imagined into dragons and castles and mushroom houses; they are your spark. They are the reason you want to write their stories. Don’t let fear stop you. Don’t let your doubts get the better of you. They are your past, not your present you. You woke up this morning as a blank canvas. Don’t let the negativity of yesterday paint the opportunities of today.

Today is day zero of my 75 Day Challenge. For the most part, I accomplished a lot. I will admit, the ten pages became a little too overwhelming - exhaustion and a heavy non fiction book do not mix well - and I didn’t continue with this aspect of the challenge. But I’ve now built up a few good habits and who knows what the next seventy five days bring. Even if the clock is about to chime - today, tomorrow, one year form now, ten years, twenty … I have an opportunity to learn more, see more, do more and it doesn’t matter how much I accomplish,  as long as I show up in the moments that matter and know God has everything in control.

Kirsten Hart (aka A.T. Richmond) is a born and bred Territorian who moved to Queensland and had no choice but to stay after her assimilation into the Toowoomba's infamous, collective known as Quirky Quills. Since then, A.T. Richmond has had two stories published. Stone Bearer, appears in Glimpses of Light and Tedious Tresses, in the As Time Goes By Mixed Blessings anthology. She is currently writing a fantasy trilogy.

'The Artist' - A Blog About Time

The Artist: Oil on canvas by Avril Thomas.
Used with permission 

My husband, Marc, and I recently celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary. We booked a gorgeous B&B at McLaren Vale and snuggled together in the warmth as the wind blasted rain against the windows. It was great to spend quality time together in this cosy retreat.
      When we checked out on Sunday morning we decided to look at some art galleries. We considered a list of local galleries but in the end we only braved the weather to take in one exhibition, that of South Australian artist, Avril Thomas, at Magpie Springs winery in Willunga.
     Avril’s works are striking. I immediately liked the large portrait of South Australian politician, Alexander Downer, and a series of paintings commissioned by the Flinders Medical Centre. These are unusual: Oil paintings of medical professionals, including doctors and nurses working in an operating theatre.  I enjoy Avril’s ‘tonal realism’ style and the humanity that seems to imbibe her work.
     But there was one painting that stood out for me. The Artist (pictured above) depicts a woman in the act of creating. Colours on her palate stream onto brushes and onto the canvas as the woman paints an image of herself in the act of painting. On first impression I thought it a passionate, unusual work, but then I saw the small hourglass in the lower right quadrant of the painting.
     The beauty of art, whatever its form, is that it can pierce us in that place which is the core of who we are. It doesn’t matter whether the medium is oil paint or music or words, art can get inside us and bring conviction. The small hourglass in the painting suggests that time is passing. The notes to the side of the painting explain that the hourglass symbolises the finite nature of time – the artist only has so many days to do the things they’ve been made to do.
     As I looked at this painting I sensed that God was speaking to me. ‘Are you doing what I made you to do?’
     The conviction didn’t come with judgement. There was no, ‘Come on Susan, you need to do more. MORE!’ It came instead with a sweet sense of grace. I’m in the middle of my life and God has spoken things over me along the way: A call to ministry, a call to write and I think to visual art as well. He has given me some wonderful promises that have budded but are yet to fully flower and fruit.  Am I tending those promises as fully as I can? God reminded me that the time available to do that is finite. I need to seek his face and make some tough decisions.
     In Ecclesiastes 3:1 it says there’s a time for everything under the sun. So I don’t think Jesus wants us to drop everything and make our art the sole priority. There’s a right time and place for everything. But I sense that for some reading this, like me, God is saying, ‘You’ve been patient, you’ve waited, now it’s time to do the things you've been made for.’
     What things has God put on your heart to do?

Sue Jeffrey was born in Scotland but moved to Brisbane, Australia with her family when she was just a wee lass. After a childhood spent reading, drawing and accumulating stray animals, Sue studied veterinary science and later moved to Adelaide where she worked as both a vet and a pastor. After a sojourn of several years in the Australian Capital Territory, Sue returned to Adelaide with two dogs, a very nice husband, and a deepdesire to write. Sue has a MA in creative writing and her short stories and poems have appeared in several anthologies including Tales of the Upper Room, Something in the Blood: Vampire Stories With a Christian Bite and Glimpses of Light. Her e-book Ruthless The Killer: A Short Story is available on Amazon.com. Sue also paints animal portraits.

Ideal Writing Conditions

Jennifer Ann at home, one of her ideal writing conditions

What are your ideal writing conditions?
Here are a few of mine.

EMOTIONS; Sometimes when I am a little on the melancholy side I feel as though my creative juices are really flowing. I will then write and write and in order to keep up with the ideas that are needing to be expressed. Because the writing has all come so quick and easily to me I naturally assume it must be good. Fortunately, I have learn't to never share that sort of writing until I have read it in the cold light of day. And guess what it tends to not be that great at all, lucky I don't show anyone but on the other hand it was cathartic for my emotions at the time.
I do write when I'm happy also but it just doesn't seem to have the same creativity attached to it, for for me anyway. Of course the best writing has been mulled over, again and again until the sentence and wording is exactly what you feel fits the essence of what you are trying to communicate. But how about you, which emotion when you write makes you feel at your most creative?

TIME; What time of day works best for you? I love the mornings, where my brain has not become tired and jaded with work and home activities. I am not an evening person but I know others who find that at 0:00p.m. till 2:00a.m. thay are doing their most creative work. Definitely NOT me but perhaps that is you?

PLACE; I have to write in a quiet place. Or at least be able to shut a door and only hear muffled noises. I know of others who cannot write if there is no noise at all and they need to have the radio switched on and loudly. I heard of a poet who sits down at the kitchen table and amidst all the hustle and bustle of children having breakfast and getting ready for school , he is able to write, no problems. What about you? Do like a quiet or noisy surround?

HOME; I have also discovered that I write best when at home, where all that surrounds me is familiar. I have taken writing work away on holidays with me and I become so distracted by the scenery or activities or the restaurants that I can't possibly think of putting pen to paper. Can you write when you are on holidays or away?

I do sometimes wonder that if I had no chance of writing under my ideal conditions, would I be able to write in the evening surrounded by noise, facing a heavy work schedule, if that was my only choice, could I write then? I think I would definitely attempt to but I'm not sure of how successful I would be.
So that brings me to my last point and that is how fortunate we are that we are able to at sometime during any given year have the ideal writing conditions that suit us because I am sure there are many aspiring writers in the world who write anyway knowing the ideal conditions will probably never present themselves. So as we are privileged by God to write at least sometimes under our ideal conditions let us keep writing the truths that God lays on our hearts.

Jennifer Ann  is the author of "Broken Pottery the Life of an African Girl available at;
Amazon kindle;   Amazon books
She has her own website at JenniferAnn.info
and her own blog, JenniferAnn/aroma of life

A Method to her Madness

I’ve been working under duress during the past few months. My life seemed busy enough when something extra turned up; like water gushing into an overflowing brook when the spring rains fell. Like a hundred more customers lined up to be served, when the store had been busy enough. Like a thousand seagulls swooped near me as I enjoyed my lunch – each saying ‘Feed me! Feed me! Feed me’!

The Director of the church organisation where I work, left suddenly and I’ve been filling in his shoes since (in a voluntary capacity). I am passionate about what we do – blessing our community. But 24 hours never seems enough now to do all I need to do. And so, I’ve been straining towards reaching three major deadlines. The first deadline was the 6th birthday party of a Support group I run and that was held yesterday. I loved preparing for it. Lots of shopping. Lots of buying. Lots of wrapping. Dreaming up games. Buying a cake. Blowing balloons. Writing twelve letters to the twelve special ladies who would attend. Making cards and awards. Yes, it was fun. But a lot of work too.

A big bold Tick on that deadline. Now I have 2 more. Every Christmas, we at CareLink (where I volunteer) make and deliver 50 Christmas hampers to needy people in our community. It’s been one of the best parts of Christmas for me each year. I love making the hampers – knowing there will be recipients whose Christmas is brightened by our TLC. This Christmas I am extra-immersed in it. I’m amazed as to all I have on a daily basis to ensure the Christmas Hampers will be done well. I need to rally our volunteers for the task. Get the church community behind us. Ask for help in numerous ways. Organise gifts for about 100 children. There’s much to do.

A wonderful lead up to Christmas. But I will be glad when I tick the boxes on that deadline too. My 3rd Major Deadline. A Writing Deadline! Does that sound familiar?

I was thrilled to be a finalist in a Christian writer’s competition this year, by an American publisher - Write Integrity press. The book I’m writing is one I am passionate about. One I would love to hit the bookshelves soon and make a difference in our world.

And that’s what this blog is really about. Deadline 3 – to be completed by 31st December! Ever since I returned from the Writer’s Getaway, I have been doing my utmost to devote sufficient time to writing that book. I need to write at least 1000 words a day in order to get my quota done. I rolled up my shirtsleeves and got to work. But did it happen?

I did try. Very Hard. But life kept getting in the way. Help! Meals had to be made (too often), the men in my life need to be looked after (not that I'm complaining), the Christmas Hampers need to be taken care of (I like it!), friends to meet with, extended family to connect with, ministry to do, other Christmas events to attend, Carols to practice….. you get the gist? No – the 1000 words a day did NOT happen. And there I was getting more and more pressurised by the minute.

And then it struck me. I was doing it all wrong. Perhaps I should approach the problem differently? When I am in full flow, writing 1000 words is easy. I realised that I need to tap into that creativity. And so, I decided that instead of writing 1000 words a day, I would write 4000 words one day of the week and 3000 on the other. I’d do the other important things on the remaining 5 days each week. I’d meet my week’s quota and get my other work done too. Right?

Right! This new method worked like a charm! The words got done – effortlessly, well…. almost effortlessly, shall I say? I also stopped feeling pressured. Wonderful. So yes, there was a method to my madness. I was now able to boast not just 7000 words a week but even more that that. Yay!

I wonder what “methods there are to your madness” in your writing? Have you found what didn’t work for you? Have you your own beautiful plan of a Writer’s life?

As a Christian writer, there’s one thing I am determined not to change. And that’s my time with God each day. Even if I am too busy for it. Especially if I am too busy! Some years ago, I realised that the secret to living a life that pleases God is to have time with Him every day – not a rushed 20 mts but a solid chunk of time. It is my meat and drink.

In order to be a writer of integrity, I need to have my spirit bathed in Him. My worldview washed in His Word. So if there is one Method to my madness as a Christian Writer, is that my time with Jesus is never compromised.
It’s one that brings rich dividends.

Now, it’s your turn. Do tell.
What are the special methods you employ to your own brand of Writer madness?
I’d love to hear about it!

Anusha is a writer with a passion; a passion for Jesus and His beautiful world, a passion for people and a passion for life. You can meet her at her website,
Dancing in the Rain at http://anusha-atukorala.webnode.com/

OUR PRECIOUS TIME

None of us seems to have enough of this precious commodity. The Lord tells us to make the most of the time we have because of the very times we live in. As authors we have the great privilege having our words read by people we will probably never meet, so do we take enough time to make our stories count?

Anyone can dash off a story - it's done all the time. Yet to allow your reader to personally identify with our main character's struggles and triumphs means digging into our own soul. Even to baring things we'd hesitate to tell our best friend. Oh yes, creating genuine, true-to-life characters takes a lot of time. And it's time invested well.

Reading through some of our authors' posts gives a glimpse into the amount of time and effort involved in crafting a story with a great plot and characters with failings who finally win the battles they face outwardly and within themselves. To be able to trace how they deal with God's Holy Spirit working in their lives without a heavy hand takes loving finesse. Jesus, the master storyteller, shares His message beautifully without labouring the point. Likewise if we allow our readers to simply absorb our message it will stay with them for a long time.

The following is from the vantage point of someone who just ran out of TIME. Set to music on CD, if you'd like to be placed in a draw add your email (with spaces) to your comment.

Life was always full and busy so I never had the time 
To ever get to know Him very much at all,
So I told Him that I would someday, I really meant it then,
Still I was occupied and never heard Him call.

When His final call is given and the universe stands still,
When the sands of time run out and clocks won't chime,
When silence reigns and earth is hushed to hear the Father's will,
Eternity begins ... farewell the end of time.


So I asked myself the question when my time came to an end
Why I didn't even spare the Lord a glance
For I've found he is my judge and yet He could have been my friend,
Now time has gone and I've forever lost my chance.


I don't have time ... I don't have time.
That's how it was and how it ever more will be.
There'll be no time ... there'll be no time,
There'll be no time left in Eternity.

Rita Stella Galieh has two Australian Historical Romances published.

Fire in the Rock & Signed Sealed Delivered, Book I of the Watermark Women Trilogy

See her website at www.ritastellagalieh.com

my writing

Sometimes my writing doesn’t seem to be important to me and other things seem to take priority. But generally when I go out and don’t have the internet to distract me I can get a lot of writing done.

This last week I had an appointment to keep. It was early in the morning, so it was just before lunch time that I was free. I could have gone home, but I decided to treat myself. I stopped in at the local coffeeshop as I know they had seats and tables and one of my favourite meals. I ordered my coffee and roll and sat down with a pad and pen. I always have pen and paper when ever I go out anywhere. You just never really know when inspiration is going to strike.

I obviously had to write longhand as I didn’t have my computer with me. So sitting down with a story I started a little while ago. I ended up writing over two and a half pages. Which would be about 600-700 words. I was very pleased and if I didn’t need to get home, I am sure I could have written more. Just a few days later, while I was at home, waiting for some baking to come out of the oven, I wrote over 5 pages. For some reason this story seems to really be flowing well.

Now most of the time it is more convenient to type the story straight into a word document. Where spelling is fixed and it is easy to read, but sometimes that is not the case. I also find that when I do type a story after writing it longhand I will actually edit it as I copy it. It is also good if you have to story longhand I can take that at time I don’t have a computer and check up story facts without having to wait until I get home.

There are times when I am feeling a little down, tired, and am not very inspired and I am sure that happens to all of us.  I realised it is good to have a goal, either a word limit or a time limit that you will spend writing, just to make sure you do some everyday. Today as I didn’t spend much time online, I did a lot of writing. I am thinking I will have to do that a few times a week, to keep up my writing goals.

But you don’t just have to count what you write in your current WIP (work in progress). Here I am writing a blog and this can be counted as part of my word count for today. But today I didn’t really give myself a goal as I have a meeting tonight.  A writer’s meeting for the first time at my house. It is only a small house and I fear there may only be one other person coming, but that is all right. We might re-figure the group and go in a new direction.

I hope you all enjoy writing.

Melanie Carter Winkler