A day is worth 100 words

I recently sent a submission to someone else's blog, where the restrictions where to have a word limit of exactly 100, no more, no less. It was quite challenging, but I was pleased at what came out. You can check out what he manages to do in 100 words at his blog

http://adayisworth100words.blogspot.com/

Anyway, here goes the 100 words!

What is a word? Does it restrict, or set free someone’s mind? The less words the more imaginative; the less words the more confronting; the less words the more moving.

Maybe like Jazz? You need to be skilled to play badly. You need to be creative to write concisely. Somehow, popular culture is wrong. (Amazing!) Intelligence isn’t to write long, it is to write short, but still explaining the difficult.

Like the boy who had to write a 20-mark essay on courage. He just wrote “this” on a blank paper and handed it in, getting full marks. The real intelligence.

What did you think? Anyway, I love all your comments, and read each one carefully, and appreciate any thoughts you might have. You might even want to suggest something for me to talk about, because sometimes my own thoughts get very repetitive after a while.

treebytheriver

p.s. I am still waiting on your "creative" things to hit my inbox, see my profile for my email, and I can't wait to see what you can come up with!

Waiting For The Bus

I write this as I stare blankly at the road, waiting for the familiar groan and puff as the bus comes up the hill. The wind blows on my face, but my scarf protects me well. Next to me is a woman, looking this way and that, anxious for the bus to get here. I just sit there, and do what I like doing, think.

We all have those times when we have a spare moment just to think. Usually it is forced upon us. I think it is ironic that however organised we are, there are still gaps in our timetables. So much so that a good organiser doesn't try and fill these, but they work around them. Some scientist has probably proven that if we didn't have those small times of doing nothing, we would not function properly, it acts as a buffer for all the information we get during the day.

When we have these spare moments though, what are we thinking? It's easy to complain, like the bus is late, or to worry about what will happen. But why don't we appreciate it more? Why don't we take it as a blessing?




That was what I wrote when I waited for the bus.

But something is wrong with that... While I wrote that on my iPod, I was cutting myself from everyone else. That woman, why didn't I just have a nice conversation? She might have needed a smile, something to lighten her day, but all she got from me was a blank look as I stared at my iPod. I think and like to encourage people, but do I ever do it in real life? To people I know, yes. But it takes more courage to just be that little more nicer to that stranger you have never met. And, I am never courageous enough.

I want to be able to talk to people, I am always amazed at my friends who will start up a conversation with anyone. I don't mind talking to people, but it will never be me who starts the conversation. I usually want to talk to someone, but never get the courage to speak, so I just wait until they say something to me.

This kind of thing can be seen as personality and all that, but from a different angle, it is just plain selfishness. For me, I don't want to put myself out on the line, maybe to get rejected, I don't want to sacrifice anything, by talking to a stranger. For two strangers to talk, one usually has to step out of their comfort zone. Next time, I hope I can remember that and be that stranger.

So, how was your day?

A spark of creativity

There are many things that separate humans from other creatures. One that I think is important is inspiration; creativity. The ability to create something with our emotions, to express what we are thinking.

Many people, me included, don't think they are creative, or inspirational at all. But if you look close enough, and think long enough, a small spark of creativeness will surely surge through your body. And even a small spark of creativity can unleash amazing things.

I recently made an artwork, which was not planned at all, came from me wanting to do something fun, and to me was a masterpiece. Many people rejected it as pointless, but it held a special place in my heart. Most people who think they are not creative probably thought so because others told them. But, if you like it, then that is something only you can understand, so don't care what others think!

Creativity, and inspiration, never really seem to have a point, especially when no one appreciates it. However, that is not the point if creativity. The point if creativity is really to glorify God, to let him appreciate your work. When we create something, anything, we are expressing what God made us to express. Love of him.

So why not try to be creative? Show God that the skills he has given you has been put to good use. And if you want, send it to me at bobodo77 (at) hotmail (dot) com. It can be anonymous, or anything, and anything I get with permission, will be put up on a page. So others can see your creativeness too.

Glorify God, use the gifts he has given you, because he loves you, and loves to see you shine.

A Rainy Day

This is a poem I wrote when it was raining very heavily, and everyone seemed downcast. It is me trying to appreciate the rain more. I hope you can too.

The grass thirsts

the rain falls

A symphony

in nature's halls

I listen for

the great applause

But all I hear

is the sound of wars

I pray to God

for rain to fall

And wash away

these prison walls

To bring the joy

back to the rain

So we can enjoy it

Once again

Praying with my eyes open

I sometimes pray with my eyes open. It is usually when I don't feel like praying. When I think that I need to sort my mind out before bringing it before God.

It seemed a natural thing to do. God didn't want to hear my thoughts as a tangle of mess. Writing it down now, I realize how wrong I was. God is the one who helps me untangle my thoughts. Without him, I would be in a total mess.

Going further, isn't that my excuse when I read the verse "pray continuously" 1 thes. 5:17? I think, "God just heard what's happening in my life, I don't want to overload him with information!" Again, I am very far from the truth.

God loves it when we keep him in our lives always. When we keep him out, we aren't doing anything good for ourselves. As always, God knows better. With him in perspective, worldly things are given a shove from God down the ladder of importance. They aren't erased all together, but they become less stressful. This usually means we can get on and do whatever we thought was "way too hard", because now we understand, God is there for us even if we fail.

So, now I think I should actually pray with my eyes open. Because, I should be praying; talking to God; all the time.

Letting the real you out

I had to write a memoir for the first time. A whole page, anything I wanted, something I would look back on and think, "That was so me back then...". I wrote random thoughts that were in my head. Looking back, it was totally me.

We work so hard to be someone we aren't, and sometimes we cover ourself with so many lies, we don't know who we are really underneath. A little burst of random thought, uncensored by the barrier of lies, onto a piece of paper, something readable, keeps you sane.

Try it now. See what your real self is like.

It is also useful in your core beliefs too. Write down what you feel about God. Sometimes our mind is filled with doubts or worries about what we believe in. They crowd around us, hemming us into a corner, not letting us talk back.

I wrote, God is good! He has forgiven me! He loves me! He cares for me! It pulled me back to the reality of the amazingness of God's love. I feel like shouting for joy! Go God! I don't have to make it sound good, he knows what I mean.

Doing this is a good foothold in the midst of a sinking faith. Remember what God has done for you, and try and get that through your barrier of lies. Hopefully, that might free you from your chains.

Pause for a moment

You probably are rushing while you read this. I am rushing while I am writing this! I have so many things to do, to write, deadlines to meet, events to plan, that I just have to rush! But is that true?

When we rush, what are we rushing for? What are we going to do with the few extra seconds the speed of our actions will acquire? I walk fast to my destination, and end up waiting longer because I was early. I rush through writing a post, and just waste the time watching TV.

When I am rushing, my mind blocks all thoughts that are coming through my head. I just mindlessly complete the task set before me, be it walking faster, or thinking more. This is where it gets sad. The mind virtually turns off to any outside source of information. So when we rush, we won't notice any hidden beauty while we walk, or miss an idea that is trying to get through to our brain.

Is the extra seconds or minutes, really worth turning yourself off from the world? Rushing may get you from A to B faster, but just remember what you're missing out on. God created the world so we could enjoy it. Why would we want to miss out on that?