What to Write?

It was Sunday. I woke up fairly early (that’s 8 or 8:30 for me) and looked at the date. January 24.

What a minute—what? I was shaken fully awake by the realization that the next day, January 25, was Almost An Author Blog Post Deadline Day.

Cue the music . . . duh-duh-duh!

What am I going to do? What I am going to write about? Will they fire me by ending a sentence with preposition?

I got up and wrote a thrilling, deep post.

Okay, that’s not true. I got up, got dressed, ate breakfast, headed off to church. The mysterious, “what’s it gonna be” post was in the back of my mind, but I concentrated on the worship and the message. The thought that I had a blog post due in 24 hours drifted away.

I came home, ate lunch, and settled in my recliner. That’s when the thought came back.

Oh, no, A3 deadline next day. WHAT AM I GOING TO WRITE ABOUT?

I didn’t grab my laptop to punch out perfect prose. I did what I usually do when I am at a loss for words and ideas: I took a walk. As I strolled down my country road, I felt led to look up.

Some background: I live in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky, one of the most beautiful places on earth, but I often take it for granted. On this particular day, it was a bit chilly and overcast, not ideal for scenery with the barren winter, but I looked up.

That’s when I saw it, a glimpse of God’s amazing beauty. The mountains were there above me in all their majesty, still snowcapped from a weather system earlier in the week. The scene was framed by  pine trees that were full along with some of the bare trees mixed in, intertwining to highlight the artistry.

I drank in the scene for a few minutes, and, of course, took a picture with my phone (Yes, I am THAT person). I continued my walk and felt a catch in my spirit—something to write about (There’s that preposition thing again).

My advice to you, writer stuck for words and ideas, is to look up. Sometimes, stepping away from the work and looking up to see the beauty around us are what we need. For many of us that can be hard to do, but the reward is great.

God’s beauty is there if we seek it, making it possible to share with others, whether it be through a painting, a photo, or words on the page.

It may even be through a blog post that was almost late.

Editor’s Note: Wonderful advice, but I’ll be watching for those prepositions! (Actually, it’s perfectly acceptable grammar to end a sentence with a preposition. So don’t worry.)

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.