Sabrina J-R

Assignment:  Have you ever experienced a time when you felt you had to sacrifice your voice for the numbers?  I think we all have.  Today I want you to visit Lisa-Jo’s and write about whatever prompt she has, but when I go back and read it later, I want it to scream you!  It shouldn’t blend in with the post before it and after it.  Instead it should shout your name. 

I’ve already done this on my other blog.  I’ll link it and cut & paste is here too.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 1 Praise the LORD!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
  praise him in his mighty heaven!
2 Praise him for his mighty works;
  praise his unequaled greatness!
3 Praise him with a blast of the ram’s horn;
  praise him with the lyre and harp!
4 Praise him with the tambourine and dancing;
  praise him with strings and flutes!
5 Praise him with a clash of cymbals;
  praise him with loud clanging cymbals.
6 Let everything that breathes sing praises to the LORD!
   Praise the LORD!

Psalm 150, NLT

Hmmm, I had to scan my blog to find examples of writing that were like and unlike my voice.  The more recent posts are a more accurate portrayal of my voice.  The older posts are definitely me trying to sound like someone else.  Knowing your audience plays a key role in being able to pen your voice.

Assignment:  Choose five words to describe your voice or what you know of your voice.  You can list them or write them out in a paragraph.  I know, here I go with the lists again.  Then take two or three excerpts of your writing and see if your writing matches up with what you know of your voice.  Pick out a few ways that the writing lets your unique voice shine through and a few areas on which you could improve.   What keeps you from writing in your own voice?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My voice is a work in progress.  I try to write like I speak and think, so that I maintain some sort of accuracy and consistently for myself.  Unless necessary, I don’t think to be overly flowery or descriptive.  I tend to ask many questions, allowing myself and readers opportunities for self-reflection.

This post, I Never Wanted to be Typical, is not really me.  It kinda is, but truth be told, I was trying to stay quiet about my true self and instead, working at making myself look impressed.  It was a writing contest entry for Today’s Parent magazine.  They were searching for new bloggers/writers either to feature as a blogger or potential article writers.  The post is true, but it’s missing a big chunk of me–my spirituality.  Not that my beliefs need to be posted every single time I write something, but if I’m writing about me and trying to “sell” myself to someone, a few words–about the major thing that makes me, me and affects how I view life and how I aim to love everyone–need to be included.

On the flip side, these posts on trust and grit and temptation looking good from far are more like me.  I was honest and true to myself.  I shared some of the lessons learned and the points that most impressed me.  The ability to speak freely and openly makes a world of difference.  I didn’t have to work at hiding part of myself.

What keeps me from writing in my voice is fear.  When I start worrying about people’s impressions and opinions of me, it holds me back.  When I get more concerned over attracting numbers and hoping to one day be discovered and landing a nifty writing contract, it confuses my mind.  Once I decided Who I was writing for and why, the words flow a bit more freely and steadily.  Trusting God doesn’t guarantee that things will work out according to my fantasies.  It does mean that He will supply my every need.

This one was tricky.  It taught me that I don’t think about myself enough.  I shouldn’t take days to list 10 of my passions.  It also showed me that when it gets down to honest, nitty gritty writing, I get quite personal. I almost skipped sharing this in the Facebook group.  When I stopped to questions why, I had no real answer other than chickening out.  It’s okay to share, especially when it’s personal. It’s honest, and that’s what counts most.

Assignment:  Make a list of ten of your passions.  Pick one and write about why that topic/subject is your passion.  We want to know the nitty gritty whys and hows.  Maybe your love for war reenactments stems from your father taking you to battlefields and forts when you were younger or perhaps your pottery obsession is from a desire to understand the verse, “You are the potter and I am the clay…”  Whatever your passion, for whatever reason you pursue it, we want to hear about it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. Family
2. Healthy relationships
3. Baking
4. Written Communication
5. Everyday living à la Christian twist
6. Kindness
7. Gospel Music
8. Reading
9. Writing
10. Encouragement/helping

This challenge was tricky for me.  The motivating, ice-breaking article to read was this one.  It’s about eyewitness accounts of the Gettysburg Address.  I’d never even read the speech until tonight.  So, taking full advantage of the openness of the assignment, I wrote up something.

Assignment:  Read these eyewitness accounts of President Lincoln’s Gettysburg address and then craft a post about them.  The sky’s the limit.  Be creative, be you. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Assignment:  Read this article (link in post below) about the origin of St. Patrick’s Day.  Write a 200-300 (word count is fluid…this is just something to aim for) word post about this article.  You can write an overview or you can focus in on one aspect.  Perhaps you have a family memory or tradition that ties into the article.

Oh, so this is the history behind March 17?  Until now, no one had ever taken the time to explain the history behind St. Patrick’s Day.  I must admit that I never bothered to research it myself.  The day has always been unattractive to me.  So, I dismissed the idea, believing that it doesn’t apply to me whatsoever.  I don’t personally know anyone who truly honours Patrick on his day either.  A few friends wear green, in keeping with some tradition.  They prefer to avoid those lurking gremlins who await to pinch those who don’t have on the colour of the shamrock.  After reading this article, I’m seeing that this holiday has potential for great things in our community, in our world, if done right.

Patrick, apparently, was an evangelist.  Ireland was his mission field, where he used the gospel message to reach people for God’s kingdom.  How cool is that?!  And this was all before  satellite, television, internet, social media were even a shred of thought.  Patrick worked hard to share Christ and His gift of salvation with people who didn’t know him.  He used neat illustrations, like the shamrock to teach of the Trinity.  This leaf contains one stem, yet from it grows three distinct petals.  This was over 1500 years ago.  To me, it reinforces how strong and how steadfast God is.  The message has not and will never change.  The method of delivery and the beliefs of the deliverers vary, but God is still the same. 

He is.  

Sounds to me like St. Patrick’s Day has been robbed of a good thing.  People use this day to binge drink, getting sloshed over a name.  Why not use this day for community outreach?  This is the chance to copy Patrick and evangelize.  Steer clear of liquor–it only impairs your judgment.  Instead, keep a clear mind and open heart and share the Good News with someone else.  If talking about God aloud is too scary, then do an act of kindness for someone else.  That’s still evangelism.

Hmm, I will be rethinking this day from now on.  St. Patrick’s Do Something Day.  

Assignment:  This weekend I want you to journal.  It would be awesome if you wrote every day (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) even if it is just a little something; a few words or thoughts.  I do, however understand the value of taking a break, especially as you have been working so diligently on these challenges.  You can check in with the Facebook page over the weekend if you would like.  These are supposed to be unpublished, so don’t worry about blogging them or posting them.  Just encourage one another to keep up with the challenges.

So, a break…well, kind of.  Now to find time to dig out a journal.  I didn’t get to it last weekend, but aim to do it this coming weekend.

Help–I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!  That’s how I feel with my lag in this challenge.  Ha ha.  I won’t skip ahead though.  Today’s assignment was poetry; a form I haven’t done in about 15ish years or so.  It was fun to get back into that groove.

Assignment:  Write an excerpt in verse and not prose.  You can write on any topic you want, just please don’t use curse words in your poetry if you are posting in the Facebook group.  Don’t shrug off this assignment with the excuse, “I’m not a poet.”  I know, you’re a writer, but writers write poetry too.  Give it a try and don’t over think this.  There is no “wrong” poem.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Trapped
In my mind, locked away
Buried in heart, hidden in soul
Words, thoughts, ideas

Tangents from here
Lessons from there
Sheer brilliance! at least to me
What’s the point of thinking if thoughts stay bottled up inside?
Imaginary label: “do not disturb”
“Contents under pressure”
Yet one nudge, one poke
The vessel may shatter
Why wait for special occasion?
Take advantage of full flavour, aroma, effect
Best used before expiration date
In its prime

Ideas, thoughts, words
Clawed from heart, found in soul
Given life with pen to paper, fingers to keys
Free 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I like this.  I may have to do a Write It, Girl crossover today.