The Tarnished Gift

NEGLECT

On Flickr by EllYouKayEee

The silver tray peeked out from under a pile of unused house decorations. When I cleared it all away, I frowned as the once shiny gift did not hold my reflection, but a rusty dull tarnish. Was it ruined? Had I neglected it too long and now it was no longer the treasure I received for my wedding long ago?

Panic fluttered in my chest as I wondered if the silver tray would ever match up to the shining beauty in my memory—(and I also feared what my mother would think if she'd seen how much I neglected the gift!)

Have you tucked your writing gift away, and allowed time to eat its way through your confidence, your dream? And when you dare to face that gift again, does the panic rise, the fear that, perhaps you've lost it, you've allowed time to suffocate the beauty in your ability?

I have.

In the name of taking a break, I tucked my gift away. And now, as I venture to blow the dust off my writing skills, that same panic I felt when I saw my neglected tray, niggled in my heart. Had I abandoned the gift God gave me—forever? Sure, I'd enjoyed the progress of six years of writing, the baby steps I'd taken toward publishing, and now, with a new year upon us, has my gift deteriorated to rust?

What if I can't write well anymore?

What if the break wasn't a time of rest but a destructive neglect of my ability?

But as I remember God's whispers to me long ago, I have you right where I want you, and that This path IS where I wants you, I can trust in the God who gave me the gift in the first place.

POLISH

On Flickr by MyLifeThroughPhotography

A little silver polish and some elbow grease was needed to make my tray shine again. This writer just needed to refocus, using Scripture and prayer to work off the rust. God's word tells us:

"For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to devote ourselves to the good deeds for which God has designed us." Ephesians 2:10 NEB

I am currently taking the study, Everything Is Possible with God by Rick Warren,  which is perfect to get me back on track with polishing my gift. Warren talks about God's hand in fulfilling our dreams. Warren makes four points using Scripture that also spurred on questions of my own:

1. DON'T FEAR: “I will never leave you. I will never abandon you.” Hebrews 13:5 TEV

If I am certain that my writing really is God's gift to me,

 than why would I think He would take it away and abandon me?

2. DON'T FRET: “Rest in the Lord; wait patiently for him to act...Don't fret and worry—it only leads to harm.” Psalm 37:7-8

If I rush into writing again, without God equipping me, 

then what good will come out of it?

3. DON'T FAINT: “Always pray and never lose heart.” Luke 18:1 PH
   
   
   “They that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31KJV

Have I prayed about God's direction to polish my gift? 

To write the stories He wants me to write? To use His words, not my own?

 

     4.  DON'T FORGET:  “I will bless the LORD and not forget the glorious things he does for   

            me.”  Psalm 103:2 LB

          “The LORD is not being slow in carrying out his promises...rather, he is being patient with 

           you.”  2Peter 3:9 NJB

How many things has the LORD done for me on this writing journey?

Why would he forsake me now?

With care and quiet diligence, I rub the polishing cream over the soiled surface of the tray, and as I smear away the neglect, the gift returns a glimmer of hope, and then a bright shine of promise that it is still a piece to be treasured.

On Flickr by Kotomicreations

Do you know that your God has given you your gift for keeps? That no matter how much you lay it aside, or tuck it away, if you seek His will, He will bless you anew with the treasure He crafted only for you?

What will you do now? Walk away without hope in the shine, or begin to polish for a bright treasure ahead? 

***************************************************************************

Angie Dicken first began writing fiction as a creative outlet during the monotonous days of diapers and temper tantrums. She is passionate to impress God's love on women regardless of their background or belief. This desire serves as a catalyst for Angie's fiction, which weaves salvation and grace themes across historical cultures and social boundaries. Angie is an ACFW member and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency.

Awesome Gifts For Writers

Tis the season for gift giving, but what do you get for the writer in your life. Okay, those of you reading this are probably THE writer, but you can always print this post out and slip it under you loved ones' nose as a hint! Who knows, maybe you'll get lucky and actually get one of these awesome gifts some day.

1. A writing magazine or journal, such as The Writer's Digest, Writer's Journal, and The Writer. Full of great articles on the writing craft and the road to publication, these magazines will inspire and instruct writer's everywhere.

2. Ergonomic Pens and Pencils! The Writing Pen Store has a good selection of strange ergonomic pens for those writers who like to write by hand. They also have a new selection of fun, colorful "normal" pens to choose from.

3. Writing Journals: The Celery Street has some really cool writing journals to choose from. From artistic to handmade, you will be able to find some unique journals for your writer.

4. Jewelry: There are some sites to browse for jewelry geared toward writers. Zazzle has a huge selection of necklaces for the writer...up to 700 necklaces! I also found an AWESOME charm bracelet that I just love on Etsy. You can get cute typewriter key necklaces on Etsy too. And check out this cool ring at Modcloth.

5. Manicure: Writer's don't spend time on themselves. They are holed up with their laptops and more often than not, they have short nails due to all that typing they do. A manicure will spruce up those fingers that fly over the keyboard.

6. Massage: While we are talking about pampering, let's not forget the massage. Many hours spent hunched over the computer create knots in a writer's shoulders, shooting pain up and down the spine. A nice, indulgent massage will rejuvenate those tight muscles like nothing else!

7. Bookshelves: Oh yes, a writer is a reader, and most writers have tons of books. Check out this INVISIBLE bookshelf at B&N! You can take a peek into some very creative bookcases HERE for inspiration.

Just a few fun ideas for the writer in your life. Of course, you can foward the blog post as a hint to your loved one! What would you add to the list?