A one-step program…

Since my book became available last month, a few people have said things like, “I hope it’s the first of many,” or “Do you plan to do another book?” Sure, I’d love to write for the rest of my life. I have plenty of ideas for books aside from collecting short pieces like this one. And sometimes I just think of titles for books I know I’ll never get around to writing...like Christian Humor and Other Oxymorons. Or The Complete Guide to Healthy Dishes for Church Potlucks. I once had the idea of writing a musical called The Worst Choir In the World, but I never got anywhere beyond the idea. Then there was I Love Everybody—But That Guy in Row 12 Is Annoying.
The ideas are not the hard part. It’s the writing stage that falters. Whenever I should be writing, there are suddenly a hundred vitally important things that I choose to do instead, like organizing my sock drawer or alphabetizing the DVD collection. But at times when I can’t write—while driving or after going to bed or during church—my mind races with more wonderful ideas that should be captured right then!
I may know a lot of words, but there’s one word I never quite grasped: discipline. The only times I’ve accomplished large things—reading the Bible through, finishing a novel, learning how to love people—were due to getting into a routine and sticking to it. Read this much every day. Write this many pages every day. Do a genuine act of kindness every day. To achieve something wonderful, you’ve gotta start. Do it once. Tomorrow, do it again. And eventually, art happens. Grace ensues. Growth occurs. Doing a mundane chore day after day may seem like a rut. But doing a creative project or an act of grace every day? That just seems like a groove. There’s a fine line between working forever…and working for eternity.