I usually sit down to write my weekly column on Tuesday morning ... three hours before the paper goes to press. This might seem odd, considering I have a whole week to work on it, but most of the time, I've been incubating an idea for at least a week — or longer.
I always hated the writing process I learned in school: Write a topic, rough draft, proofread, second draft, proofread, final copy. Each step was meant to be written out, labeled neatly with which part of the process it was.
For me, it was limiting and slow and I had so many ideas I couldn't wait for my partner to have the time to read my rough draft.
It's no different now. I'm constantly turning over phrases and concepts in my mind. While I'm doing dishes, I'm composing an opening paragraph. When I fold towels, I'm thinking about how to tie in that lead to my conclusion.
It's a process, all right, but it's my own.
It's the same with this blog. I have a few drafts saved, parts of which may someday see the light of day. But most of the time, post drafts live in my head, where I access them without a computer.
So before I forget them in the midst of celebrating Christ's birth with my nearest and dearest, here are a few pieces I've been meaning to share:
Jim and I both graduated from Concordia University, and at the risk of sounding like Andy from The Office, I don't talk about it too often. I love my alma mater. It's the place where my life began ... literally. It's where I made some of my best friends. It's where I discovered my calling in life as a journalist. It's where I learned what it meant to be a Lutheran. It's where I fell in love with the most honest, sincere and best man I've ever met.
So naturally, I'm hoping Evangeline will have the chance to enroll at Concordia in 18 years. I shudder to think what college tuition will be like then, but God will provide. (Case in point: Private College 529 Plan.)
In the meantime, I signed her up for Legacy Link, a program at Concordia for children or grandchildren of alumni. She'll receive age-appropriate CU gifts periodically, and will have on-campus opportunities as she gets older.
It's not exactly the type of Christmas present you can wrap and put under the tree, but it's a gift that will keep on giving over the years.
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, bar none. I try to practice an attitude of gratitude daily, yet having a day set aside specifically for it helps me refocus on the abundant blessings in my life.
It's also a time to express thanks to people who put their lives in harm's way to defend our nation, both here and abroad. With many veterans and an active service member in both Jim's and my families, supporting the United States' Armed Forces is important to us.
So the day after Thanksgiving, we participated in the Holiday Mail for Heroes program. Red Cross sponsors the holiday card drive every year. Participants write holiday cards to "Dear Service Member," wishing them a safe holiday and a sincere thank you for their service. Cards are mailed to service members serving overseas and at home, to families of service members and to veterans.
A $3 box of Christmas cards from Target and a few pens were all we needed to express our gratitude and prayers for a safe return. Afterward, I bundled them up and mailed them. So simple. It's somewhat embarrassing, the small effort we put forth compared to what our correspondents sacrifice daily.
The deadline for submissions was Dec. 9, so I presume the cards are well on their way. I hope our messages (you can read part of my grandmother's in the photo above) let their recipients know how grateful we are to them.
So, Thanksgiving was a month away and Christmas is quickly approaching. Jim and I are hosting it this year, with my mom, sisters and brother and some festive homemade pizzas. For once, I feel somewhat organized and prepared, with gifts (small but thoughtful) wrapped and ready for giving to family, friends and co-workers. The tree, with its cat-and-baby-deterrent system, is still standing and a few simple decorations have made it into the house.
I'm a little neurotic about my household surfaces. To me, visual clutter creates mental clutter. Therefore, my countertops and tables are almost always clear of stacks of paper and knick-knacks. (My closets and drawers, on the other hand, are another story ...)
These photos illustrate about how crafty and decorate-y I get for Christmas. A glass hostess bowl filled with colorful bulbs, the silver candelabra we received as a wedding gift from German relatives, a strange little glass snowman, origin unknown, and a homemade Nativity wall-hanging, given as a gift for our first Christmas together in 2007.
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Now I feel like I often do on Tuesday mornings after a writing frenzy: Relaxed, a little tired, mildly euphoric. That's not because I believe I've written the Best Thing Ever; it's a sense of satisfaction that comes from seeing a thought you've nurtured come to life.
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