November 9, 2009
By Vonda Skelton
Posted in: Christian Living | Writing Instruction | Women's Ministry | Jesus | Kudos
- Word Pictures: Out of the Mouths of Babes
The past couple of days, I've Twittered a few comments collected through the years from kids at my Writing is Fun workshops in schools. Our kids' and grandkids' statements are often good for a laugh, but could there be more to them than that? Honestly, could "MaMa, why is your arm like a water balloon?" assist me in some way as a writer and speaker? If you've ever heard me speak, you know I use a lot of stories. After all, it's through story that we can grab the listener and then teach the message we feel called to share. I use this technique frequently, and I find it works especially well when the joke's on me.
For example, when I'm speaking to women about our struggle with beauty, I often will say that beauty is everything I'm not. Beauty is tall...I barely stretch to five feet. Beauty is blonde...I have dark brown hair with gray "highlights." Beauty is skinny...even though I'm not overweight, I've never been skinny. But most of all, beauty is young...and I left "young" behind long, long ago.
But in order to make sure I know where things stand, God has surrounded me with kids who speak the truth; hence, the water balloon question. And from the response of the ladies in the audience, they totally get it...because some of them must have water balloon arms, too!
Other beauty/youth comments include:
- Third grader: "You don't look like the picture on the back of your book. On the back of your book you don't look like you have any wrinkles, but now that you're here at my school, I can see that you have lots of wrinkles."
- While playing I Spy with my 7-year-old granddaughter, she had me looking for something purple. I couldn't find anything purple anywhere, so I finally gave up. She smile and pointed...to my purple, spider-veined leg.
- And I won't even talk about the recent bathtub adventure with my 5-year-old granddaughter who said certain parts of my anatomy looked like "You know, those floppy things that hang down on a turkey's neck?"
Ah, yes, kids are great at helping us feel good about ourselves. And by sharing these encouraging words with our audience, we're able to grab their attention and then segue into the important points of our messages. After all, beauty isn't really what we're trying to teach, is it?
But kids' comments aren't limited to our lack of beauty and/or youth. Their words can unwittingly demonstrate spiritual truth as well:
- Matthew 7:3-5. I was driving Cole, my 3-year-old grandson down the road when we passed Chick-Fil-A. I said, "Cole, did you know Ellie used to call Chick-Fil-A, Chick-Er-Ray?" I hear him slap his leg and say, "Ha ha ha! Ehwie used to call Chick-De-Way, Chick-Er-Ray!" (In case you didn't get the connection, did you notice the log hanging out of Cole's eye?)
- The job of the Holy Spirit: I asked Cole (7) and Mallory (4) if they knew what keeps us from falling off the earth. They didn't know, so I reworded the question. They still didn't know. I tried again. "What keeps us grounded on the earth so we don't fall?" Mallory raised both hands in the air and shouted, "The Holy Spirit!"
Of course, I have many more stories, but you get the idea. God has a way of giving us exactly what we need to make a message pop. Sometimes it's something out of the mouths of babes. Sometimes it's something that happened to us because of our stupidity or naivety. Sometimes it's simply the realization that we've blown it...again.
So, what funny stories do you have to share? How could you use those stories to demonstrate a spiritual truth or to segue to one? I keep a list of funny things my grandkids and other young friends say to me. It's amazing how often God shows me how I can use them in a message or an article or a book. I also keep a list of scenes from real life that can be just what I need to demonstrate a lesson I've learned.
But sometimes life isn't funny.
The good news is, we can use those stories of life as well. It's often at the lowest times in our lives, when we're most distressed and things seem totally out of control, that God gives us a vivid word picture to share with our readers and listeners.
My experience in caring for my terminally-ill sister taught me that I'm not in control; that I, too, can "lose it"; that life isn't easy just because someone is a follower of Christ.
Almost losing my husband--both physically and emotionally--taught me that doctors don't always know what they're talking about; that submission isn't a four-letter word; and that I don't have to say everything I think.
Another confirmation that, if we let Him, God doesn't waste any hurts.
Word pictures. They can be pictures of laughter, healing, and forgiveness.
They can be pictures that share His love.
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It's Kudos Week!
And man, do we have a lot of good news to share! From New York to Florida and South Carolina to Oklahoma, ya'll have been busy! What fun to celebrate with these Christian Writer's Den readers who've found that writing isn't merely a dream. With hard work and God's blessing, it can become a reality! Congratulations to all!
1. Donna Earnhardt (NC) has a poem in the November issue of Highlights for Children. A special treat is there is a recording of a child reading her poem on the Highlights website.
2. Andrea Merrell (SC) has a new website, The Word Shoppe, for her writing and editing service. And her devotion, The Check's In The Mail, will be published in Christian Devotions's next book, Faith & Finances: In God We Trust, later this year.
3. Cynthia Lovely (NY) has a poem on prayer on the secular website, Poets & Writers Online. Wow, what an opportunity to share truth with the world! She also has an article published in this month's Living Light News, a Canadian newspaper.
4. Barbara Parentini (NC) will be leading her first Living Letters seminars the afternoons of January 30 and February 6 in Chapel Hill, NC. Fee includes both sessions, a Living Letters Journal, and coffee or tea and snacks. Check here for more information.
5. Jo Rae Johnson (SC) will be signing copies of her latest books, Christmas Traditions and The Ultimate Gardner, at the Country Boys Open House on Woodruff Road in Greenville, SC this Saturday, November 14, 11am-1pm. Also, Jo Rae also continues her monthly WLOS/My40 TV segment, All About Home. November 10 she'll talk about Holiday Tablescapes and Theme Trees.
6. Raquel Haggard (OK). The Nov/Dec issue of AAA Home & Away includes three of Raquel's photos and an article, Urban Delights.
7. Ann Wayne (NC) had an article, "A Dream Come True," published last month in her local paper, the Independent Tribune. She reports they didn't change a single word and didn't cut any of the scripture! Ann is also owner of The Cabin Cove, where we hold our annual Christian Writer's Den Writing Retreat.
8. Robin Williams (VA). In response to Renae Brumbaugh's interview a couple of weeks ago, author and speaker, Robin Williams, started a blog called The Wife Class. Robin has a Bible study by the same name and speaks to women's groups on how to be a Christian wife.
9. Deb Harrell (MI) has a story in the new Chicken Soup for the Soul: Count Your Blessings. You can read about the journey here.
10. Phylenia French (VA) has had a third article accepted for publication in the Sunday School take-home paper, VISTA (I've listed VISTA under Writing Opportunities in the past). She's also had several devotions published at Christian Women Today, an online ministry in Canada. You can read Undiginified Worship, Extravagant Praise here.
11. Sue Falcone (NC) is an author and speaker and has been hard at work creating a logo, trademark, and developing her new ministry, Simply Sue. You can read her blog here.
12. Linda Greer (SC). Linda had the privilege of speaking to the students at the Forestview High School Author Workshop in Gastonia on October 20. She was invited to read one of her original poems in several classes in celebration of the National Day for Writing.
13. Janelle Woodyard (FL) has set up a blog about H1N1 flu and she needs your help. Please visit her site and post what you're doing to help prevent the spread of swine flu.
14. Edie Melson (SC), Managing Editor of CenteredMagazine, was interviewed on the local CBS affiliate's morning show on October 16. She was joined by the CEO and VP of Publishing for Centered Magazine.
15. Beth Fortune (SC) has received word that her devotion, God Has Our Backs, has been accepted at Christian Devotions, to be posted in early 2010.
16. Mary Sue Smith (NC) will have an article published in the December 2009 issue of Mature Living, a LifeWay publication.
17. Kim Sprayberry (SC) will have an article in the December edition of Centered Magazine. (Just for the record, this article was written at our Christian Writer's Den Writing Retreat last month and was accepted before she left the cabin!)
Whew! I don't know about you, but I'm tired! That's a lot of links! But what a joyful tired. Friends, you sure are working and God sure is blessing!
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Next Week: Writing Opportunities
Don't forget to check back next week for a list of writing opportunities just for you. Who knows, next month I could be typing in YOUR kudos!
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I Love to Write Day Is This Sunday!
November 15, 2009 will mark the eighth I Love To Write Day, a grassroots effort to have people of all ages practice their writing skills. Created by Delaware author John Riddle, I Love To Write Day is an opportunity for people of all ages to write something: a poem, an essay, a letter to the editor, a short story, start a novel, finish a novel-the possibilities are endless!
On the first I Love To Write Day , 11,328 schools all across the country held special writing events and activities. Last year, we signed up over 20,000 schools. This year our goal is to have an I Love To Write Day program in over 25,000 schools. Please help us spread the word: tell schools, libraries and bookstores in your community about I Love To Write Day. You can read more about I Love To Write Day and learn how to register here (it's free!).
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Thank you for hanging out with me, dear friends. I look forward to our gathering every week, and I don't take it for granted. It's an honor to walk this journey with you.
And this week, as we begin collecting our funny stories to share with the world, let's remember these words from Proverbs:
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22
I pray God's blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,
Vonda
6 Comments
| Add a Comment- #1 Robin Williams
Precious Vonda,
Thanks for the article this week. I can always count on you to keep things in perspective. You are such the encourager! And thank you so much for the kudos!!!- #2 Melony — http://www.melonybrown.com
Vonda~
I'm working on my National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) novel, and I've found that some of my funny and not so funny personal life experiences show up. I agree that we should add these real-life experiences in our writing as they paint the picture of truth. Real life experience are excellent teaching tools!
I'm excited about working with my son Palmer's second grade class on the Young Writers Program side of NaNoWriMo. All 23 students and his teacher have been writing novels. They are having so much fun and are experiencing the joys of writing.
Love you!
Melony- #4 Donna Earnhardt — http://www.wordwranglernc.wordpress.com
Vonda - your unmetionable bathtub incident cracked me up. TOOOO funny!
Thank you for listing everyone's good news. You rock!
peace,
Donna- #5 Marie C Senter
my incredible 'kid sister' Corinne used to drive with the pickup window down so her 3 children could see her upper arm flap in the wind.....she said it was cheap enter-
tainment! prayers and hug
Marie Senter san antonio, TEXAS
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