Remember Your Priorities

Last week, during the Catholic Writers Conference Online, I was reminded of something that I’m going to just go ahead and remind you of, too.

Because you know what? We all need to hear this.

Remember your priorities.

You are Catholic first, everything else second.

That means your big-V vocation–spouse, parent–comes before your little-v vocational pursuits or jobs–including your writing.

Blogging is something that’s easy to get into. But that doesn’t mean it’s right for you. It doesn’t mean you should blog.

When you’re not sure how you’re going to fit one more thing into your schedule, here’s my advice:

STOP. Pray. Listen.

I know, that’s so idealistic. You don’t have time to go to the bathroom unsupervised, and yet I’m challenging you to find somewhere quiet and turn up your ears? All you can hear is your own screaming. What the heck?

I was asked in two different chats, by at least four different people, how they should figure in blogging time.

“They,” after all, say that you should blog to build or grow your platform.

“They” say that blogging is a must.

But you know what? “They” are a bunch of idiots.

Do They have the same priorities you do? Are They called to the same Vocation and vocation as you? How are They even speaking to you?

Take what’s good and discern what’s not, and after you do, don’t look back when you leave it in the trash can.

Not everyone can blog, not everyone should blog, and hey! That’s OK!

We’re here to encourage each other, and I want to cheer in your corner.

Remember your priorities.

Frequent the sacraments, first and foremost, especially the Eucharist and Confession.

Spend time with Jesus BEFORE you spend time doing your work, whether it’s your primary vocation or your work pursuits.

Give it to him FIRST. Everyone else SECOND.

If you’re really stuck, take it to Adoration. Sit in the silence before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and lay your head in his lap. Let his mother stroke your temples and close your eyes.

This is where you belong. This is where you are headed. This is why you struggle through the day.

If blogging is something you are truly called to do, you will. You can.

It’s not easy to do God’s will, but it’s even harder when we’re deaf to what God’s trying to tell us.

Let’s pray for each other, shall we? It’s not an easy thing, being an artist. It’s not an easy call we’re heeding.

But easy isn’t what we’re after. Heaven is.

That rosary is one I got via Trendy Traditions.

U.S. Bishops’s Holy Week Prayer Request

I saw a news clip the other day where a guy in California (I don’t remember the city) was taken away in handcuffs for reading the Bible in public. That 20 second video encapsulated for me the entire secular barrage that has been taking place against religion, especially our Catholic religion, in this great nation of ours.  The USCCB has authorized a prayer for religious liberty, and is asking all  Catholics  to say it every day during Holy Week 2012. I thought I would copy it and paste it in here. It just seemed to me to be the timely thing to do.

Wishing God’s blessings on all my CWG friends and their families during this Easter season.

PRAYER FOR RELIGIOUS LIBERTY:

O GOD OUR CREATOR,
from your provident hand we have received
our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
You have called us as your people and given us
the right and the duty to worship you, the only true God,
and your Son, Jesus Christ.
Through the power and working of your Holy Spirit,
you call us to live out our faith in the midst of the world,
bringing the light and the saving truth of the Gospel
to every corner of society.

We ask you to bless us
in our vigilance for the gift of religious liberty.
Give us the strength of mind and heart
to readily defend our freedoms when they are threatened;
give us courage in making our voices heard
on behalf of the rights of your Church
and the freedom of conscience of all people of faith.

Grant, we pray, O heavenly Father,
a clear and united voice to all your sons and daughters
gathered in your Church
in this decisive hour in the history of our nation,
so that, with every trial withstood
and every danger overcome —
for the sake of our children, our grandchildren,
and all who come after us —
this great land will always be “one nation, under God,
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Welcome to the 30K for Christ

As we embark upon Holy Week, we are also opening a month of writing dedicated to our Lord.

A few years ago, when National Novel Writing Month was just a November event, several of us on the Guild got to talking about how it didn’t fit our needs.  Some of us wrote non-fiction; others short stories.  While we loved the idea of a word-count challenge, but we wanted something that would address all of us–and our role as Catholic Writers.

30K for Christ was born.

The challenge is simple:  Write 30,000 words in the month of April.  They can be blogs, articles, stories, novels. They can be a combination.  They do not have to be nonfiction or even spiritual.  (I will be working on my next DragonEye, PI fantasy, Gapman.)   However, for those words to count in the challenge, you must dedicate them to Christ.

How?  By prayer, by subject matter, by the conscious effort to reflect His will and not our own.

This year, we have a wonderful advantage over the past–we have the blog where we can invite others not in the Guild to join us, and where we can post thought-provoking articles about what it means to be a Catholic writer.   In addition to posts by Joe Wetterling on The Baptized Imagination, we are posting the transcript from Barbara Nicolosi’s chat, “Toward a Literature Which is Catholic.”  We are dedicating at least Thursdays to such posts, and to inviting folks to post their word count in the comment section.

Participation is easy:  If you are a CWG member, we invite you to post your intentions in the forums:  (https://catholicwritersguild.com/index.php?name=Forums&file=viewforum&f=84).  We have threads for word count, excerpts to share, questions and calls for help.  If you are not a member, now is a great time to join the CWG.

Member or not, you are invited to join with us on the blog.  Say hello today, and then share progress on Thursdays.

We hope that by making a conscious effort with your blogging, you will develop a habit to invite Him in all your writing efforts.  The Lord created us with a wonderful gift.  It is our privilege and obligation to thank him by using it in his service.

God bless you, and Happy Writing!

-Karina

***

#30K4JC – Twitterati Edition:

Want to keep up with 30K for Christ on Twitter? Use #30K4JC (not case-sensitive) in your updates! Let’s cheer each other on! 

Still not sure what that means? Here’s a sample tweet that may or may not be based on life experience:

Despite the 16mo strewing toilet paper all through the house w/ his sister cheering, I logged 1K today for #30K4JC

Share your writing goals, your word count, or your particular challenges. Encourage others, be encouraged, and laugh a bit.

Hey, doesn’t #30K4JC entitle me to an extra pot of coffee? No? Well. Guess I’d better get writing.

Have questions? Feel free to contact Sarah Reinhard, @peerybingle on Twitter.

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Catholic Writers Guild
P.O. Box 77
Eaton, IN 47338