Write your first draft with your heart.
Re-write with your head.
~From Finding Forrester
(Photo courtesy of weheartit.com)
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
Beginning (Again).
(*The drink was purchased with a gift card -- yes I am being true to my 30 Day Challenge!)
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Affirmation (Part 2)
Today's affirmation is not as powerful or life-changing as what I received yesterday. It has nothing to do with the missionary work I did or the power of God to work through us to change lives. Rather, it was a simple comment out of the mouth of a student that just made me feel, well, good.
I told my students that I had finished my rough draft (because although I am really selective as to which grown-ups get to be "in" on this info, I am surprisingly open when sharing with my students... I guess I trust they will think I am a rock star no matter how awful my writing turns out to be, because comparatively... well...). "Please, Mrs. dos Santos, can you read it to us?" they begged. Of course I couldn't do that, it is just the rough draft, first of all, but more, this is a story that I am not so sure 9 year-olds will really enjoy. But I caved in and read the first page. And hence came my affirmation.
"Wow, it sounds like a REAL BOOK!"
Excellent! This may have come from someone who has read nothing more advanced than Judy Moody, but I will trust their judgement. It sounds like a real book.
Children are the best ego-boosters to have around.
Except when you have a pimple on your chin. In moments like that you should just stay far away from them and their brutal honesty.
I told my students that I had finished my rough draft (because although I am really selective as to which grown-ups get to be "in" on this info, I am surprisingly open when sharing with my students... I guess I trust they will think I am a rock star no matter how awful my writing turns out to be, because comparatively... well...). "Please, Mrs. dos Santos, can you read it to us?" they begged. Of course I couldn't do that, it is just the rough draft, first of all, but more, this is a story that I am not so sure 9 year-olds will really enjoy. But I caved in and read the first page. And hence came my affirmation.
"Wow, it sounds like a REAL BOOK!"
Excellent! This may have come from someone who has read nothing more advanced than Judy Moody, but I will trust their judgement. It sounds like a real book.
Children are the best ego-boosters to have around.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Affirmation. (A must read)
A former Sabbath School student of mine in Palau wrote this today and shared with us former teachers of his. Although I was not his school teacher, I did get to form a friendship with him, and this touched my heart in a way that I cannot describe. It seems like after years of knowing internally that God used our efforts, someone confirmed that. Just what I needed to hear.
(PS - Just printed up the whole rough draft. Going to start revising this weekend. It is high time, don't you think???)
FROM SETH -
Student Missionaries of Palau
Romans 1 8-12
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, 10 making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established— 12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.
To be a student missionary is more than just teaching kids from different countries. It is much more than an adventure in a foreign country. Its a commitment you make to God's work. A commitment you make to your spiritual walk. It is devoting yourself to a cause you believe in. It is an opportunity, not only to provide kids with a good education but also an opportunity to introduce them to life that proves to be meaningful, a life with God, a chance to know God. When we first hear the words "Student Missionary" we think of people who are hear to be our teachers and to work for our school or for our church. Student missionaries work for God. You are not STUDENT missionaries, you are student MISSIONARIES. You are a missionary, an evangelist, God's disciple. You are the people who introduced me personally to God and i thank you for that. I thank you for the sacrifices you make for us. It's hard to leave family and friends and to take a year off of school to travel across the world. Thank you for the time you've taken out of your lives, thank you for the hard work you have done to educate us, and thank you so much for introducing us to God. I wouldn't have known God today, if you hadn't come to palau and if i hadn't seen God's character in all of you. You guys saved my life and have saved many others lives. Every group of SM's changes someone's life every year and every new group to come will greatly affect the students lives in an incredible way. We, the students, won't always realize it, and you may never know it, but God will. and God will remember the good work you've done. I was a student of SDA and a student of PMA. I wasn't born a christian, i was raised a christian, not just by my family, but by the teachers i spent everyday with. 12 years. Thats how long it took for me to find God. It took a while, but it happened and i thank the Lord for you guys. You're saving lives, and winning souls for God, whether you know it or not. Thank you. I love you guys. Don't stop doing God's work, because you are getting results and thats what we need.
Matthew 28:19: ¶Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost
(PS - Just printed up the whole rough draft. Going to start revising this weekend. It is high time, don't you think???)
FROM SETH -
Student Missionaries of Palau
Romans 1 8-12
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, 10 making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established— 12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.
To be a student missionary is more than just teaching kids from different countries. It is much more than an adventure in a foreign country. Its a commitment you make to God's work. A commitment you make to your spiritual walk. It is devoting yourself to a cause you believe in. It is an opportunity, not only to provide kids with a good education but also an opportunity to introduce them to life that proves to be meaningful, a life with God, a chance to know God. When we first hear the words "Student Missionary" we think of people who are hear to be our teachers and to work for our school or for our church. Student missionaries work for God. You are not STUDENT missionaries, you are student MISSIONARIES. You are a missionary, an evangelist, God's disciple. You are the people who introduced me personally to God and i thank you for that. I thank you for the sacrifices you make for us. It's hard to leave family and friends and to take a year off of school to travel across the world. Thank you for the time you've taken out of your lives, thank you for the hard work you have done to educate us, and thank you so much for introducing us to God. I wouldn't have known God today, if you hadn't come to palau and if i hadn't seen God's character in all of you. You guys saved my life and have saved many others lives. Every group of SM's changes someone's life every year and every new group to come will greatly affect the students lives in an incredible way. We, the students, won't always realize it, and you may never know it, but God will. and God will remember the good work you've done. I was a student of SDA and a student of PMA. I wasn't born a christian, i was raised a christian, not just by my family, but by the teachers i spent everyday with. 12 years. Thats how long it took for me to find God. It took a while, but it happened and i thank the Lord for you guys. You're saving lives, and winning souls for God, whether you know it or not. Thank you. I love you guys. Don't stop doing God's work, because you are getting results and thats what we need.
Matthew 28:19: ¶Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Realization.
Whether or not I am a good author is beside the point. I have successfully written a book. Sure, it may be just the rough draft, but still. Those 56,047 words? They are mine. And that is an amazing feeling.
The moment I finished I sat down and took a deep breath. I then picked up the phone and made my first phone call. It came out factually, yet the moment the words escaped me and I heard what I said, I started to cry.
The same thing happened to me five years in the Palau International Airport. My buddies from the Camp Micronesia project had just gotten on the plane to leave and I walked out of the departure gate, let out a long breath, and sat on the floor and cried. That had been months in the making and then a two month full time experience. This project, my book, has also been months in the making. Nine months so far. I have come to realize that these tears are the best way my body can express what it needs to so desperately express: relief, pride, exhaustion... all three rolled into one.
The tears didn't last for long, however, because I was too exhausted to cry anymore. The final day, I had sat there for five hours writing. That is enough to pretty much take you out. And it did. But the next day, when I was bright eyed and awake again, it hit me again. One step down, the longest lasting step hopefully, and I am one my way. Now onto revising and rewriting and editing and all that. First, however, I am giving myself a week off. I think I deserve it! :)
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