I have forty four posts in my drafts folder. FORTY FOUR. Forty four posts where I’ve had an idea but really never got going with it, or posts that I’ve started but not finished, or posts that I’ve finished but not posted. And whenever I have a little bout of writer’s block, which seems to be the case today because I stayed up way too late watching “House Hunters International” when I should have been sleeping, I think, “Well, I’ll just pull something out of the drafts folder.”
But it doesn’t work like that. Because all that stuff in the drafts folder? IS OLD.
I’m telling you: that drafts folder is like a crutch that collapses on you every single time you try to use it and therefore leaves you hobbling on your wobbly, broke-down ankle. Which is to say: WORTHLESS.
So today I’ve decided that I’m going to drag some of that stuff out to play, and I’m going to drag it out in a manner that leaves it completely devoid of any relevant context whatsoever. And THEN I AM DELETING THAT JUNK FROM THE DRAFTS FOLDER SO THE EMPTY WORDS WILL STOP HAUNTING ME WITH THEIR USELESSNESS.
Here are the first three. All totally unfinished. But I am releasing them into the interweb so that they can fly away and be free.
And perhaps find some sort of ending.
So I went to the bookstore to get Alex something like The Children’s Bible (which is what I had from the time I was 6 until I was 11 or 12), and my word it seemed like every single Bible in the kids’ section had some sort of theme. The Discovery Bible! The Veggie Tales Bible! The Adventure Bible! A Bible with a cover that looks like armor!
So I bought The Adventure Bible(!) because it’s for early readers and it was on sale, but the more I’ve thought about it the more I’ve decided that the whole themed Bible extravaganza may be just a wee bit out of control. I mean, at the rate we’re going, it won’t be any time at all before we have The High School Musical Bible! Or The Hannah Montana Bible!
Or maybe we could even have a Self-Affirming Bible with A MIRROR INSIDE – that way we can watch ourselves as we read God’s Word aloud and then feel really good about how holy we look.
Sorry. My sarcastic side took over for a minute. I do apologize.
My friend Daphne told me watch “30 Rock” after she saw the very first episode. She said it was the funniest show on television. But I am sometimes stubborn and inflexible (NOOOOOOO.) (YESSSSSSS.) and told her that I did not have room for another TV show in my life what with all the “Top Chef” and “Project Runway” (HEY MR. SEAL! IT’S YOUR WIFE!) and “Amazing Race” episodes that keep our DVR filled to overflowing.
But lo and behold, I finally watched an episode about halfway through last season and thought it was funny. Then I caught up on some of the older episodes. And y’all? Daphne was so right. “30 Rock” is hilarous. HILARIOUS.
So I just want to go on the record: Daph, you were right. I was wrong. You are a TV maven.
When we were in Uganda our group went to a lodge in the middle of nowhere for a couple of days at the end of our trip so that we could debrief and decompress. We ate all of our meals outside on a covered deck (WHAT UP, NATURE), and the last morning we were there I woke up super-early, took my Bible and my journal out on that deck, and sat there for a really long time.
The view from the covered deck was stunning. It was lush, tropical – green in every direction. And that morning, as I looked out over the Nile and reflected on the week we’d spent in Uganda, I decided that I never wanted to forget the scene in front of me. I felt broken and tired and worn-down, and for a few minutes it did my heart a world of good just to see something pretty. In retrospect it’s interesting to me that I completely missed the stuff in the background that wasn’t quite as healthy, but I guess I just wanted to focus on something beautiful.
I guess I just wanted to focus on something that had everything it needed to thrive.
A few hours later our group met on the banks of the Nile for Holy Communion. And while the area where we gathered was visible from the place I’d been sitting earlier in the morning, it looked entirely different once I was standing in the middle of the clearing. It wasn’t nearly as lush – and I’m pretty sure that the tree behind us was dead – but as we stood in a circle and worshipped together, I realized that the picture-perfect view I enjoyed earlier in the morning had absolutely nothing on our Communion spot. In fact, I was standing in the best vantage point I’d had all week.
Yes, I could see the Nile, and yes, I could see the sweet faces of the people who had become so dear to me in such a short period of time. But more than anything, I could see this tree. And it just seemed right, somehow.
Truth be told, this tree probably characterizes my experiences in Uganda way better than the lush view I’d enjoyed earlier in the morning. It was weathered and prickly – pretty much the opposite of lush. It was stripped down. But in one little section, there was a cluster of new growth.
Happy weekend, everybody!
ooh…pull out more…love these little tidbits…
and alas, i just saw a “princess” bible at barnes and noble last week. i guess it isn’t that awful…seeing as my lily is usually doing princess color wonder pages during church anyway. *sigh*
Well, the drafts folder may be junk as far as you’re concerned, but I still enjoyed reading it! The post from Uganda was fantastic, even if it is 15 months old. Your trip over there impacted me greatly and I enjoyed reading another snippet from it. Looking forward to following the folks headed to India in a week.
As for the Bible for Alex, I realize you said you got the Adventure Bible. But my mother dug out and gave to me the Bible my grandparents gave me when I was little. The date says “1973 Christmas”, so I was 2 when I got it. But it was WAY advanced for a 2 year old. I remember reading it as a kid in early elementary and have a very clear memory of finally understanding what a scripture citation was, looking it up in the big Bible and understanding that the stories were the same thing. Anyway, the book has been around for nearly 90 years now (!) and I just pulled it out for my 5 year old. We read some of the pertinent stories during Holy Week and she LOVED it. So if you’re still in the market for a very biblically based, but kid-appealing story book you can’t go wrong with this one
http://www.amazon.com/Egermeiers-Bible-Story-Elsie-Egermeier/dp/1593173350/ref=ed_oe_h
Shannon linked to this one too before Christmas and we love it as well. http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Storybook-Bible-Every-Whispers/dp/0310708257/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239994805&sr=8-1
So if nothing else, publishing the drafts was good for some unsolicited suggestions :D
I, for one, think you should publish everything you’ve ever written. These are nothing like my drafts. These, all three of them, are brilliant.
Your junk is pretty classy, friend. I’d come and dig from your bloggy, draft, trash can any day of the week.
PS We loved “The Office” and laughed at the cheese balls and the terrible sandwich. It was good medicine for my bad day :0)
This is your junk? I suppose this is what the curb must look like on trash day at Martha Stewart’s. Seriously… any one of those tops my best effort.. effortlessly. I know jealousy is a sin, so I need to go now and find a quiet spot to meditate. And look for strange trees that somehow metaphorically look like me.
I love “What up, nature.”
i’m glad to know i’m not the only one out there with a large file of random incomplete pieces, too! because starting and not finishing stuff is a hobby for me.
This did my heart good today.
Your drafts kick my drafts’ butt!
These are really good. It would be fun if you went back, fleshed them out, and did a before and after comparison!
Is that right where we had communion? H
Drafts? Are you serious? That Uganda draft [post] was stinkin’ brilliant.
All three of them left me wanting more!!! Boo Mama, you are one talented lady. I can come and empty your trash if you need me too!!!
Ben loves his Adventure Bible…he has just started reading it some on his own (with a little help from me) at bedtime and thinks it is so cool that he can read the Bible. Hope Alex enjoys his, too!!
Good idea for what to do with those pesky drafts…I have the exact same problem!
Your junk is great! Enjoyed reading. And, I agree of 30 Rock – hilarious show!
Love the post about the Bibles – too funny! Do you feel lighter after freeing these posts?
We need to get together. I’ll email you soon.
Proof that you shouldn’t delete all those drafts. :>)
I guess your definition of complete is different than mine to me those are complete as they are especially the one on Uganda.The others I suppose could have had more but they are complete thoughts of yours on the subject.You don’t have to be perfectly profound to be thought provoking leaving them as they are stimulates people to draw their own conclusions or have their own insights.
Haha! I think you’re probably not alone in your draft folder building up, lol!
Loved reading this!!! :O)
This may have very well been my favorite post of all time. Keep posting your “junk”. I love it!
I’m waiting for the Stuart Smalley Bible…”Because I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me.”
Oh, and the unfinished drafts? I have a lot of those as well. Also a running list of topics in a notebook on my desk. Some of them don’t even make any sense anymore. As if they did to begin with!
Your self-affirming Bible had me laughing all day.
Well used sarcasm is a gift.
Boo Mama…your “sorry good for nothing” drafts make me laugh out loud and then tear up only moments later. Guess they don’t belong in the trash bin afterall. Or maybe their is truth in the old saying…”one’s man’s trash is another man’s treasure”. At any rate….thanks.
Glad you did that… I enjoyed those unfinished drafts very much; especially the Uganda one. You have such a way with words!
As usual this post made me laugh and made me think….even partially complete you are wonderful writer and I am blessed to be one of your readers!! Thanks for posting, even your drafts!!
Loved ‘weathered and prickly’ – arent we all that on a given day and if it’s not me then it’s the person I’m rubbing shoulders with…
THE. NILE. Wow.
And I feel the same way about the drafts folder.
You. Are. HILARIOUS.