Saturday, April 21, 2012

You’re the bridge between generations past and generations yet to come



Wednesday we pondered words penned by Rabbi Lawrence Kushner:  Invisible Lines of Connection: Sacred stories of the ordinary.


I still marvel at his words: They capture the purpose—the heart—of our memoir vignettes, yours and mine.


The good Rabbi said, “When viewed from a point of high enough vantage, everything is revealed to be in the hands of God.…” (Invisible Lines of Connection: Sacred Stories of the Ordinary)  


You are part of God’s divine story.


You are the bridge God has placed between your family’s generations past and generations yet to come.


“Write what should not be forgotten.”
Isabel Allende


With that in mind, today I am sharing random quotations and questions to help you remember long-forgotten stories for your memoir.


What memories, personal stories, and lessons come to mind with any or all of these?


“It’s not so much that we’re afraid of change …
but it’s that in between place that we fear.
It’s like being between trapezes.
It’s Linus when his blanket is in the dryer.
There’s nothing to hold onto.”
Marilyn Ferguson


“Lord, please send someone else to do it!”
Exodus 4:13


“The will of God is
never exactly what you expect it to be.
It may seem to be worse,
but in the end
it’s going to be a lot better and a lot bigger.”
Elisabeth Elliot


God is already working on Plan B 
even as Plan A lies in shambles around your feet. 
John Claypool


God has made everything beautiful in its time.
Ecclesiastes 3:11


When you were a child, what frightened you? How did you overcome it? What stories can you write to encourage your children and grandchildren with their own fears?


Jesus said this about himself: “He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted” (Luke 4:18). Think back to a specific person God sent, in His name, to help heal your broken heart. When did God send you to help heal a person's broken heart? Write a vignette.


“The meaning of the stories I wrote down went beyond me. As author Madeleine L’Engle wrote, when artists create, we cocreate, with Spirit and with readers.… Disappointments can’t be avoided; they can only be converted into lessons, gifts, if we allow.… 


“ … People write [me] to say [my] stories have changed their lives, that they’ve found new direction through the words as they seek meaning. They say they’ve found healing, too, inside these stories. I’ve given the stories birth, but I’m not the one who reaches readers. Writers are … the conduit through which God and guidance flow” (Jane Kirkpatrick, Homestead).  


Did you catch that? “Writers are … the conduit through which God and guidance flow.”


You are a writer. By writing your God-and-you stories, you can be the conduit through which God and His guidance flow to your children, grandchildren, and many others.



6 comments:

  1. Linda, this is such a powerful post! I am moved by this in such a way I almost have no words to describe it. I've felt stalled recently -- I refuse to say blocked -- just stalled. In limbo, so to speak. This has moved me from center. We are to be away for 10 days assisting my brother-in-law and his wife as partial caregivers to give her respite. I'm taking my laptop in hopes of some time to focus on my memoir in progress and get my arms around it. My goal is to return home ready to write. This post will be a catalyst in my goal setting! I have saved it to Evernote to read again and again! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

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    1. Hi, Sherrey, WOW! If you found this blog post helpful, then God has answered my prayers. I asked Him, a lot, for help with this one. Bless you for sharing with me how much it meant to you. May God be giving you a good time away from home and inspirational thoughts for future memoir vignettes. I'm eager to learn more about your stories.

      Smiles,
      Linda

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  2. Dear Linda,
    What a wonderful post! I agree with Sherrey, this is worth saving on Evernote. The prompts really inspire me to dig deeper. The idea of being a bridge between generations really came alive for me with the Aunt Rose's recent death.For the month we all gathered around her bed, we shared our stories, some of which I had written about. These stories became a healing force for all of us. Thank you so much for enlightening,enriching and inspiring me on my journey, as you always do. :-)

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    1. Kathy, bless you and your family as you grieve the loss of your dear Aunt Rose. I know these recent weeks have been poignant--both happy and sad--and I know you are missing your lovely Aunt. Thank you for letting me get "acquainted" (via cyberspace) with her. What a dear lady. Thank you for your kind words today, Kathy. You always bring sunshine to my days. :)

      Hugs,

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  3. Linda, this post is just incredibly awesome! I'm printing a copy to re-read for inspiration each day as I sit down to write. You are definitely the conduit through which God and guidance flow!

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    1. Cathy, thanks for our kind comments. My prayer is that God will use me and help me to write materials to inspire people to tell their God-stories. There are so many amazing accounts we all need to put in writing! I applaud you for all the writing you are doing!

      Thanks for stopping by, Cathy.

      Linda

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