I Hope You're Bleeding

"Writing is easy.  You just open a vein and bleed." - Red Smith (qtd. in Lifestories, 206)

I nicked my ankle while shaving.  I knew I'd gotten skin.  It hurt!  I kept waiting for the blood.  There was none.  I didn't understand.  Where was the blood?  Eventually, a drop came.  When I wiped it away, there was no more following.  I was disappointed (and relieved).

Some days that's writing.  You open your notebook, sharpen your pencil, and are ready to go.  You're excited.  You sit there and wait and wait and wait.  Hours pass but the words stood you up.  You've got very little to show for all of your waiting and pondering.  It's disappointing and discouraging.

That can be time spent with God too.  You open your Bible and start reading.  "Ok, God, speak," you say.  Except God doesn't take commands from you, as you've probably noticed.  You feel dry and empty.  It's disappointing and discouraging.

I blew my nose into a Kleenex.  The Kleenex magically turned red.  Well, that wasn't what I was expecting.  Enter the biggest bloody nose known to  man.  Or at least to me.  I'll spare you the details.  It was disgusting.  And long.  Gushing blood.

That's my favorite kind of writing: gushing words.  When they fly so fast your fingers can't keep up.  You go back and read it later realizing you dropped words and you completely forgot how to spell.  You were just trying to get everything down on paper.  Hours wash away.  There's no time to re-sharpen your pencil; you reach for a pen and continue.  It's wonderful!

Some days that's God.  Every moment He's speaking.  You can clearly see Him in every moment, every interaction, every word you read.  His Word is alive and the Holy Spirit has your undivided attention.  It's exhilarating to learn so much!  It doesn't happen often enough.

Friends, I hope you're gushing blood.  (But not literally).

<>< Katie