Point of View

I was going about it all wrong – not an unusual occurrence.

We recently completed phase two of a home window replacement. In phase one we replaced the windows in the former master bedroom that became Ashley’s room and then Lauren’s room. Two windows were replaced, one with a slightly larger one and the widow facing the backyard was replaced with a large sliding glass door. This room now serves as the sewing room equipped with a trundle bed for guests. Wonderfully creative things are already taking shape there and we have a fantastic memory for the room when it served as the Bridal Room for Ani and Daniel’s backyard wedding.

Phase two encompassed a bathroom, the guestroom (formerly Ashley’s and Lauren’s bedroom), and Daniel’s old room that will be “The Office” where I’ll do the bulk of my writing and that will house the family computer. It will also serve as a guestroom. There is now a six-foot, three-panel window in place of two side-by-side 30 inch windows that overlook the front deck and yard. The change is startling. There is a lot left to do in the room – fresh paint, floor treatments, and furnishings. I hope that the room will lend itself to enlightened creativity.

I had written those first two paragraphs in longhand while waiting somewhere or while on the road someplace and taking a little break. My intention had been to talk about all the work needed to change the point of view of the room and getting a fresh perspective as a way to unlock the stories loaded within me. While that may be true and the change in the surroundings in the office might be effective for projects, I woke up this morning and realized that this is all wrong for where I am right now.

Stephen King told me the office plan has holes it for a creative writing space. I am reading his “On Writing – A Memoir of the Craft” and coincidently enough I had just read his section on writing space. The quotes used here are from chapter 3 in the On Writing section. Stephen supports the idea of the office as my main personal writing space, “Until you get one, you’ll find your new resolution to write a lot harder to take seriously.” We plan to make it simple; a soothing place, pleasant for reading, writing, and contemplation. Sure, it’s an office and work will be done there but still, why not make it a nice and simple place to be? “The space can be humble (probably should be, as I think I have already suggested), and it really needs only one thing: a door which you are willing to shut.” And now here is where we are breaking with Mr. King’s suggestions although there will be some sort of window shade should I find the need to deploy it; we are talking about a multipurpose room after all. “If possible, there should be no telephone in your writing room, certainly no TV or video games for you to fool around with. If there’s a window, draw the curtains or pull down the shades unless it looks out a blank wall.” As I write this post my desk is in the living room facing a wall but the same view as where the desk will look out on in the office is available to me by looking over my right shoulder. Overcoming our breaks from those suggestions will take discipline, something I’ve been struggling with since I discovered that I have a story to tell and thoughts to write about that I hope others will find entertaining, uplifting, or provocative.

All that being said about changing the room to change my perspective is still not my biggest mistake.  Those things I talked about above only address the physical and emotional/mental side of things. For me to have success I must be connected to Jesus and the Holy Spirit must have free reign to speak and lead me. My point of view must be the foot of the cross; it is the only place where I can be effective – Calvary’s Thread has to be a real place for me, one that I can connect with wherever I am.

The scripture that jumps out at me when thinking along these lines is John 5: 19 & 20, “¹⁹Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise. ²⁰The Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing; and he will show him greater works than these, so that you will be astonished.”

The place where I have most easily connected to the cross is during Mission Arizona, specifically during quiet time while I’m sitting in the desert, under some mesquite bush praying and asking for coverage, asking Jesus to lead me, to meet me. I know where this place is in my heart and when I have trouble changing my point of view, I go there.

In His grip, jerry