OK, so this may take some time to swing around to the writing, but our writing really does reflect our own unique stories. We have to be willing to know ourselves and decide how much of that we will share. I generally stay away from religion and politics on my blog and Facebook although I have strong convictions about both. But today, to understand what I'm going to say, you have to come with me on my morning walk. This is something I love to do, once I get in the swing of it (I am now) and my big old black lab, Ralph, loves it too.

But this morning I was grumpy. I wasn't enjoying the birds or the horses or the sunrise. I was complaining to myself and reviewing the stuff I was annoyed with in my life. So I stopped and took a drink of water (thanks to a speaker's gift from Western Washington SCBWI - thanks for the water bottle guys), and wondered how to cut off all the negativity that was washing over me. I turned to the Lord's Prayer which I memorized when I was four. Then I did something new. Instead of reciting it, maybe over and over, I meditated on each line until it felt right. That exercise engulfed me and Ralph and we covered a lot of ground.What an amazing set of words.

So where's the writing, you ask? Coming, hold on. The line that took about 1/2 mile to get through was Thy kingdom come. I'm pretty familiar with the fact that God's will is not mine and that I need to be forgiven and that it would certainly be fine of me if I would forgive others. But, Thy kingdom come? That means I would like to live with peace and happiness. I would like to relax in a wonderful idyllic space. I would accept gifts beyond my imagination. I'm not sure exactly how to handle that. I'm a worker and a fighter. I'm an honest observer and a seeker of justice. Asking to experience God's kingdom? Hmmm.

Ralph and I kept walking. And then I realized that much of it is already here. In the gifts around me that others offer every day. In my own abilities. In the lack of pain in this moment. In my dreams. I knew I needed to let go of the complaints and the "debts" and accept new possibilities. This is part of God's kingdom that I can understand. So, writers, let's dream, let's be thankful for what we have and might do. Let's explore the possibility of the shared word.

Take a minute and write down two or three things you really dream of. They can be writing related, places you want to visit, changes in your life. Go ahead, write down your dreams. Now watch this video. I promise to make it all make sense.