I get something, maybe, about Annie Dillard (she’s been puzzling me for months). God comes to (enlightens, is found by) Annie Dillard in the world around her.
…the mystery of continuous creation and all that providence implies: the uncertainty of vision, the horror of the fixed, the dissolution of the present, the intricacy of beauty, the pressure of fecundity, the elusiveness of the free, the flawed nature of perfection. ~Pilgrim at Tinker Creek
Everything, every moment, grabs her and points. “Here. See?” Entranced, she proceeds without hurrying and never rests.
This possible insight helps me possibly understand my own inner drive (I’ll be flummoxing me for years yet to be). God comes to me in the life story I’ve been given.
Continually life glances me up and down, aims nose to the horizon, and says, “Are you coming?”
Usually my knees tremble. I peer back over my shoulder. The hearth looks so inviting. But, life. This is story. A thrill of expectation tugs my middle. “Sure,” I say.
Well put! Do I recognize that trepidatious but hopeful “‘Sure,’ I say.”
Wow!
I just read a bit about “Relief” magazine through your links there on the right, and I LOVED what they say about themselves:
“The primary measuring stick for good Christian writing cannot continue to be safety. It must be skill – the ability to expose what is real, express it eloquently, punch the reader.”
I got really tired of Christianity that was most interested in self-perpetuation, i.e. playing it sage (and fundraising), so this is music to my ears.
But as far as I could see, you can’t read it online, is that right?
Christian writing is many things. Luckily it continues to evolve and grow. Things that stay static, die.
Life is a journey Deanna, glad I found your blog.
Fresca, I hope Relief will put some samples up on their site, but so far they haven’t. What you said is what drew me to try and write for them. I think they’re doing a fairly good job of reaching for their goals.
Jodi, you’re right, though I think like people in most areas, Christian writers are still fumbling along. It’s the best we can do in any case. But the journey’s the thing, somehow.
Sheesh! It’s good we (you) can read through the typos, as of course I meant to write “playing it safe” not playing it “sage”. Ha! I wouldn’t have a problem with that. That’s up to us, I guess. (Eeek. Easier to criticize than to write it myself!)
Hey, Fresca, I knew what you meant. You’re sitting beside the sage (at least he personifies one), and you’re not one to play it safe. :o)
“Sitting beside the sage”
LOL!!!
Yeah, I guess so… [smile]