My normal state of being is one of constant writing – in my head.
For the last decade or so, I have never been without at least three different sermons being written, re-written, practiced, scrapped, recovered and filed in the old grey matter.
Constantly.
Since I started blogging, those sermons had a little company while rattling around between my ears because they had to share the space with blog posts as well. Often the two would overlap. A sermon would become a blog post, a blog posts a sermon… Sometimes it was hard to see where each one stopped and the others began.
They may not have been world-changing posts and sermons, they may not even have been particularly good or even accurate most of the time but they were always there and no sooner did one get used and filed than another would jump up to take its place.
I realised tonight that for the last few weeks, things have been different.
My head is empty.
No sermons, no blog posts.
Nothing.
This is a problem.
At least, it’s a problem for me… probably not so much for the six billion people on the planet who don’t know who I am, and all the ones who do know who I am and don’t care what I say or write.
I guess when it’s put into perspective like that, this isn’t much of a problem at all.
‘Normal’ service might be restored some time. It all depends on whether or not I find out how to reboot my head.
Maybe God is preparing your head/heart and clearing it all out to deposit something huge. Kinda like a purge.
Maybe… or maybe I'm just drifting away from him?
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I understand and can relate to what you are stating. Peter, I will pray for you bro because that is a frustrating place to be.
I have slowly been working on a project that deals with that very thing you are stating.
Thanks, Michael
Second what Michelle said. Out with the old, in with the new.
John 12:24. Seeming to die, but actually coming alive.
That would be nice!
Empty. Resting. Ripe for filling.
We'll be here when you come back. Take a break! Don't worry about it. Blogging is suppose to be relaxing.
Thanks, Duane.
1. That's actually a good place to be. It's a clean slate, and you're probably listening more. Don't force anything.
2. Please go back and Americanize your spelling. It's not "realise." I even have a little, red squiggly under that, because that's not how we spell it!
3. Relax. (After you fix the spelling.)
1) Actually I think it's because I'm listening less… the source has been somewhat cut-off.
2) NO! I try to split my spelling between the right way and the English way in proportion to the split between US and UK readers. Today was therefore this month's time to use one British spelling!
3) Relax? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! There is too much work, stress and, oh, more stress in my life to relax. I don't see the opportunity to relax coming anywhere in the next few years!
1. Then it's like the reset button. Stick a pin in it.
2. YES! You live in AMERICA! Spell right! (Oh, but keep the accent. That's cool.)
3. You better schedule in some relaxation, or it will schedule itself in at an inconvenient time.
Lainie, Thank you for letting Peter know he had misspelled it. He lives in America. Do it. And Lainie, here we are again, going all OCD on his tush.
It was not a misspelling, it was a correct spelling. I just didn't dumb it down for my American audience :p
Whoa whoa whoa. Uncalled for. Let's not start spewing out racial slurs here. We all know you came here because it's better here, and spelling is yet another thing we do better.
And Duane, it's not OCD. It's simply expecting excellence in all things.
Thanks for the great idea. Unfortunately I don't really have time to do anything else… but I'll keep my eyes open for an opportunity!
I agree with Duane. Blogging is supposed to be relaxing. We're all airheads at one time or another. I am personally an airhead at all times, but have learned to fake it.
You're obviously a great faker then….
Peter, I think it is totally normal for creative people to hit dry spots. It's not like people who paint can always just sit in front of a canvas and know exactly what they are going to paint. Something has to inspire them. So maybe you don't have time to go and do something else that is creative, but you should at some point find something that inspires you. You are a terrific writer, but even you need a break. It doesn't make you any less of a writer/preacher if you stop long enough to find inspiration again. When the writing becomes work, it kind of takes the fun out of it, along with future inspiration.
Now is a time for you to seek out encouragement, discussion, and soul-searching. Find something to be passionate about. Perhaps this is a season when it's important for you to pour yourself into something different, something new, or something that you've been neglecting. It doesn't mean that you won't come back to it eventually, and it certainly doesn't mean that you are drifting from God. It just means that you need to figure out where you are being called to spend your time and energy.
Continuing to pray for you, my friend. No matter how you spell things
)
Thanks Ginny.
I'd love to pour myself into something but I feel like I'm all poured out already!
That's one ginormous hole in your head, Peter – just waiting to be filled. I think the "rules" that say we must continue to post and write and keep our blogs humming are not for everyone, and certainly not for me. Just breathe.
And "normal" is a setting on my dryer. If you can find a better definition for it, I'll listen.
I like the "Perfectly Normal Beasts" from the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy books!
Thanks, Candy.
CTRL + ALT + DEL
Works for me.
CTRL, ALT and DEL of course stand for ConTRoL, ALTernate and DELete, respectively.
I'd love to do a CTRL+ALT+DEL on my head but unfortunately I seem to have lost 'control'
I seem to have Aletrnat and Delete in abundance but can't find Control anywhere!
Maybe this will help—a little visual inspiration: http://matteroffactsite.blogspot.com/2010/06/need…
And this too, shall pass.