Did Not Post Yesterday

November 10, 2018 Roland Kuhl 0 Comments

I did not post yesterday. I do find writing challenging because I would rather express thoughts and ideas in discussions with persons over a cup of coffee or a glass of beer (if later in the day). I often think I ought to have a recording device running when I am deep in conversation discussing faith and culture, how theology shapes the way we live out our humanity, and so forth – because great ideas get shared, that by the time I get to writing them down I have lost some of the nuance of insight that has been expressed.

So, yes, I believe I am more comfortable with the spoken word than I am with the written word – it takes work for me. Perhaps, it requires work for all writers – getting their thoughts down on paper and then going over and over it again in editing and editing (one of the things about blogs is that though there is editing that goes on, yet it is not extensive as when submitting an article or book chapter).

I remember from my seminary days, one of my mentors Don Hagner, expressed how difficult and challenging writing was – how he would painstakingly craft a single paragraph he was writing, yet, some of his colleagues in the same amount of time might be able to craft half a chapter. For some, it seems writing comes with ease and the words flow out in a clear fashion – for me not so much, it really takes work.

The ideas for writing – I do have many of them, but they are more or less expressed in a paragraph or two. I remember a conversation I had with Bob Weber, who became a mentor and friend at Northern Seminary, who once noted in the midst of a conversation that there was a book in an idea I was presenting. My response was, “Bob, that’s how you and idea are different. You hear an idea and think there’s a book in it. I hear or share an idea and all I got is a paragraph.” I guess writing well is a discipline and Bob was excellent at this discipline.

So, I did not write yesterday because there was nothing really thoughtful I wanted to express. I was grading papers, cleaning the house (in preparation for my daughter arriving home for a visit from Australia today), walking Dakota – who did not give me pester me too much for attention yesterday and who was happy to go out on a walk. In the evening we went out with friends and tried out a new distillery in town and saw a theatrical performance put on by Viterbo students.

It was a good and productive day, ending well, but I did not write. I am hoping this will become for me, in the words of the late Eugene Peterson, “a long obedience in the same direction.” He was talking of discipleship and following Jesus, but writing (or sharing) what God is doing in me, in those around me, how God is leading for me to participate with what the Spirit is doing in our neighborhood is part of that discipline that I believe I am called to share with others – even if it is only a handful of readers.

Hey, my daughter is coming home today – can’t wait to embrace her!