Create something

I have a confession to make, I did not write Words for the Day yesterday because I forgot about it. I have not done that in quite some time. Yesterday I began working on my memoirs book around 5 AM and finally stopped at 10PM last night. I was sitting at my computer in my pajamas all day. I did not brush my teeth, take a shower, take my blood pressure medicine, or shave until 10PM last night. I had little to eat and although I was interrupted throughout the day with phone calls and occasional visitors to my house, (who viewed me at my finest), I tenaciously stayed on task.

My wife has a word for this behavior, Sick!

What does she know? If I continue to stay motivated in this manner, there is not much doubt that the book project will go much faster than I initially thought. More importantly anytime that I put this much effort into a project, invariably I end up with a decent product. I feel good about the early direction of the book and I think that other people might like it too. I might stink up the place a little, but best seller or not, at least I will have a finished project of which I am proud.

I was thinking about my behavior this morning and began to smile broadly. It has been a long time since I had this much interest in a project; it is fun! Pooh Pooh on those who think I should just lounge around enjoying retirement sipping tea and staring at the ocean.

Working on this book is reminiscent of my early days as an entrepreneur. I used to love the early days of starting up a company. In similar fashion to working on my book, my faithful employees and I used to enter battle each day and we worked very hard, very long hours. It was not like work to us though, it was great fun. The result of our efforts was to create products, services, and companies of which we were very proud and to this very day still remain as among the best of their kind on this planet. It is particularly rewarding for me to look back on them now and realize that if it had not been for me taking an idea that was buzzing around in my head and moving forward on it, that those entities, products, and services would not exist. Oh yeah!

I wish everyone could have a similar project that would totally captivate and inspire them to do their very best. Watching a project take shape and grow from a crude beginning to a highly polished product of which one is very proud is extremely rewarding. Taking an idea from one’s mind and making it become reality and then watching it take on a life of its own cannot be matched in the area of accomplishments, (at least in my opinion).

I think that we inherit this trait from God in whose image we have been created. Wouldn’t it have been fun watching Him create the universe with its gorgeous galaxies with a beautiful blue marble in the center called earth? I can envision Jesus smiling as he created everything from colorful jabbering parrots to cute little puppies which He hung a wagging little tail on for good measure. His pride and joy was mankind. He added free will to this particular creation and although it has to hurt Him to see some reject Him, I am sure that it gives Him great joy to see those of us who love Him with all of our heart.

I feel sure that God is particularly delighted to see His creatures work long difficult hours on projects that bring honor and glory to His name and importantly introduce others to His kingdom. He sees the missionaries risking life and limb and foregoing earthly treasures in His service, He sees the pastors feverishly trying to write interesting sermons week after week, He sees those who visit the sick, the prison ministries, the practice sessions of the choir, those folks taking care of little rug rats and changing diapers, (Yuk!) in order that young parents might enjoy church service, and on and on and on.

What project do you have lined up for 2009? Nada? Then why not take one of those ideas swirling around in your beautiful mind and get to work on it? Remember just like our awesome holy Father demonstrated, beautiful things can even come from dark, formless, and void beginnings…

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the
heavens and the earth.
The earth was without form, and
void; and darkness was on the face
of the deep. And the Spirit of God was
was hovering over the face of the
waters.