Life Happens

I am writing this post toward the end of November. Ahh, the month of November, also known as NanoWriMo.

For those of you who may not know, NanoWriMo is short for “National Novel Writing Month,” in which writers are supposed to write a full-length novel in 30 days.

Gluttons for punishment, us writers.

This year I had the BEST of intentions for NanoWriMo. I was going to polish a work I’d already finished—working a little on it every day, chipping away at it until I was pleased with it.

Mind you, I’ve been chipping away at it for a few years. Okay, maybe 10. Or 11. But I digress.

I had big plans for my writing month, and then life happened.

First my son had to have a series of scans and X-rays, which kept coming back inconclusive. After much worry, several scans, and three specialist appointments, he is okay.

The same son had an important college interview that the whole family had to attend.

Then I had a death in the family.

Then the University of Kentucky football press passes that my college-aged son and I applied for at the beginning of the season and really didn’t think we’d get came through at the last minute.

Add to all of this the assorted minor distractions and inconveniences that come with my job as a teacher. You know, little things like papers to grade and classes to teach.

To summarize, I have written about 75 words in my manuscript this month. And I’m writing this post the night before it’s due.

Sometimes life happens, and we just have to roll with it. I could wallow in guilt about my bust of a writing month, or I could pick myself up and try again. I think I’ll opt for the latter.

I think God is teaching me about how to deal with life’s interruptions, both big and small. The other day I was driving by myself on a long trip (because of one of the many things I’ve had to deal with this month), and one of my favorite songs, “The End” by Matthew West, came blaring through the speakers.

West got to the chorus, and I had the feeling he had been peeking into my windows when he wrote the song.

“It’s not the end of the world, it’s just another day . . . depending on grace.”

Isn’t that what it all boils down to? It’s not the end of the world when life happens and I don’t get to write. I have to depend on grace from the One Who gives me the inspiration. Yes, it’s up to me to carve out writing time, but there are times I have to deal with other things.

I think I’ll move my NanoWriMo to December. After all, that’s not a busy month . . . right?

A guy can dream, can’t he?