Lest We Forget . . .

I am Almost an Author “original member,” writing for this blog since it began; I am not even sure how many years have passed. From almost the beginning, my pieces have posted on the sixth of the month, reliable as Old Faithful.

An important part of blogging is promotion. Obviously, if you write something—that you are proud of, that took a lot of time and thought, that features a message you think should be heard—you want people to read it. The last thing you want is for that piece to float in cyberspace, with no one noticing it.

You would think, with me having a post on the sixth of the month for what seems like forever, I would remember to share and to promote it. You would think I would have it marked on the calendar and ingrained in my psyche. You would think that. You would be wrong.

I tend to forget the post nearly every month. When I remember, I share and share and share, but, by then, the post has already been floating out there, as mentioned above, for days, left to fend for itself with no boost from its author.

Take last month, for example. Like clockwork, my post was up on the sixth of the month, to which I was oblivious. Like sand in the hourglass, the days passed (Yes, I was raised with a grandmother who watched her stories every day). On the morning of the thirteenth, I woke up, and, out of the blue, it hit me: I had a post published LAST WEEK!

I got up, grabbed my laptop, and found my post. I shared it on all of my social media, and, much to surprise, it got a great response with many comments and shares. Imagine how much better it would have been if I had, you know—REMEMBERED THE DAY IT ACTUALLY POSTS.

Promotion is important, but I like to think God watches out for people with poor memories like mine. If He wants people to see a certain message, He will make it happen, even if it is a few days (or a week) late.

You might be reading this post on the sixth, or you might be reading it whenever I remember to share it. Either way, I hope you are blessed by it.

Now, where did I leave my keys?

Carlton Hughes, represented by Cyle Young of Hartline Literary, wears many hats. By day, he is a professor of communication. On Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings, he serves as a children’s pastor. In his “spare time,” he is a freelance writer. Carlton is an empty-nesting dad and devoted husband who likes long walks on the beach, old sitcoms, and chocolate—all the chocolate. His work has been featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Dating Game, The Wonders of Nature, Let the Earth Rejoice, Just Breathe, So God Made a Dog, and Everyday Grace for Men. His latest book is Adventures in Fatherhood, co-authored with Holland Webb.