Wild Blue Yonder

A reader asked how to structure the writing week.

A few qualifiers:

1. Weekly structures are as numerous as the writers they guide.
2. Getting words on pages is organic dynamism.  
3. Next time, the reader should ask a writer, not me.

Henry Ward Beecher said, "The first hour of the morning is the rudder of the day."  My rudder is set with prayer, stillness, darkness and hygiene.

An empty bladder and washed hands precede kneeling prayer.  As a child, ACTS prayer models were offered as ways to pray:

• Adoration: Placing names of the Eternal in my mouth, before rehearsing my own name and needs, gets days started.  Calling diverse names for the Lord makes room in my life for the Giver of Life. 
• Confession: First person language is introduced to drag any shame into Christ's presence.  After welcoming the Savior into the room, sin is exposed to withering rays of the Son's forgiveness.
• Thanksgiving: Gratitude for the Lord's presence, my good health, spousal strength and progeny's protection follows.  Giving thanks for gainful employment, extended family and world citizenship prepares an heart.
• Supplication: Asking for needs puts fire to my feet.  A recognition of God always doing God's part spurs me to do my part.  "To do" lists are captured on a nearby pen and pad.  Getting off the floor with the 54321 hack works.

Completing ACTS prayers often means new tasks have been identified.  After prayer, a mobile device is updated with content from the supplications.  

The rudder of the day is finished by an audio Bible reading while primping and polishing.  By now, family members are stirring.  Playing my husbandly and fatherly roles takes an hour: morning salutations, rides to school, packing lunch, breakfast together.  Because of Sunday vocational commitments, Mondays are Sabbaths.

Monday: Sabbath

• Morning: journaling, marriage enrichment, meals and planning.  
• Afternoon: Nap
• Evening: Golf, gym or reading

Tuesdays' rudder demands solitude to care for anything requiring prolonged concentration.  

Tuesday: Whispering Work

• Morning: HOBO's work
• Brunch
• Noontime: inboxes and tasks
• Afternoon: snail mail and thank you cards
• Dinner
• Evening: reporting and bookkeeping

A rudder guides Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays into the Wild Blue Yonder of meetings, relationship cultivation and a police chaplaincy.  Entering the fray means I need to be ready for anything: emergency calls, rescheduled appointments, delays, 12+ hour days.

Wednesdays - Friday: Wild Blue Yonder

• Dawn: Police Chaplaincy
• Morning: Support-raising meeting
• Mid-Morning: training
• Noontime: inboxes and tasks
• Afternoon: chaplaincy, blogging and reporting
• Evening: chaplaincy and support-raising meeting 

Writing well requires reading well.  On Wild Blue Yonder days, a book and journal are tucked in the backpack.  When there's down time, I read or jot down writing project notes.  

Saturdays are devoted to repetition of two words, "Yes Ma'am".  Our family works throughout the week and are together most often on Saturday.  I spend Saturdays working to bring my wife's vision for our family to pass. 

Sundays:

1. First Sunday - worship at home church with communion
2. Second Sunday - visiting chaplaincy supporting church
3. Third Sunday - family chooses (streaming, Saturday worship for Sunday fun)
4. Fourth Sunday - visiting chaplaincy supporting church
5. Fifth Sunday - worship at home church

A Note on Journaling: A rhythm of handwritten and online journal entries is woven throughout the week.  The STALL is a five day journaling circuit:

• Day 1 - SOAP Method
• Day 2 - TEASER (aka Examen of Consciousness)
• Day 3 - Analysis
• Day 4 - Lectio Divina
• Day 5 - Longhand (free form writing)