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Subplots and Storylines – June 2018

Tracey Dyck 26 Comments

Hello, hello, everyone! I’m back! Thanks for all the great vlog questions you left me. I hope to film a coherent video answering them all very soon. In the meantime, how was your month? Sit down and grab a cup of lemonade (because coffee is much too hot for this weather) and let’s chat!

My June was about as full as all my months seem to be, and yet it was a lot more relaxing because . . . I took a holiday! More on that in a minute. This could become a long post, so I’ll try to keep each section of the recap brief and under control. (Yeah, right.)

A few notable life happenings:

  • I took my sisters to a Maze Runner-themed escape room! Kind of a homemade one put on by their youth group, but it was super well done. (And I got to sneak in and go through it too, even though I’m too old. Ha.)
  • A couple more friend get-togethers
  • My sister, Chloe @ Faeries and Folklore, graduated high school and we threw a party!
  • One of my best friends had a baby shower
  • Aaaaand holidays!

It was wonderful to spend a week at a cabin with my family, doing absolutely nothing. I devoured five books, watched a bunch of movies, ate delicious food, swam in the river, and played an ongoing game of Phase 10.

We also went to see the ruins of the old Pinawa Dam. I’m a sucker for ruins of any kind, but to find some in my home province of Manitoba was super cool! Can’t you just see this old wall being used as the setting for a dystopian story? Or even a fantasy?

Screen Subplots

Once Upon a Time season 6
I only watched two more episodes this month, but the season is still making a slow upward climb, so that’s good.

Avatar: The Last Airbender
Just one episode this month. Still a fun show!

Spider-Man 3
At last my siblings and I are finished the Tobey Maguire trilogy! I’m sorry to insult a classic, but these movies just didn’t hold up like I’d hoped. (I did love them years ago.) At least Harry Osborne was better in this one.

The Greatest Showman
This has got to be the most hyped-up movie I’ve seen in a long time. I was rather worried it wouldn’t live up to my expectations, and while pretty much the whole plot came as no surprise at this point, I LOVED IT. I loved the music, the visuals, the characters, the charm of it all. I loved the emphasis on family. It was beautiful. Truly. And if you’ll pardon me a moment, I’m going to go buy the soundtrack!

Captain America: The First Avenger
My siblings and have started rewatching the Marvel movies (it’s our youngest sister’s first time!), and we skipped the Iron Man movies to watch this one. It gets me every time. I love Cap. And Bucky. And everything.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
Another rewatch. So heartrending, I cried again.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
Look at that, I’m really jumping on the HP bandwagon now! But this movie was so enjoyable. Faithful to the book, with an adorable young cast, it brought Hogwarts to life in such a charming way.

Coco
This one was better than I expected! If you don’t mind the Day of the Dead stuff, it’s a cute little film about family and remembering those who have passed away. The visuals are brilliant, and I didn’t see one of the twists coming.

Page Storylines

Guys. I read nine books this month. NINE. I can’t remember the last time that happened! (Thank you, vacation, for all the reading time.)

Capital Gaines: Smart Things I Learned Doing Stupid Stuff // Chip Gaines

I’ve never watched Fixer Upper or read Chip and Joanna’s previous book, but I still enjoyed getting to know them through this quick nonfiction read. They seem down-to-earth and have an approach to business I could get behind. Lots of anecdotes here, with some good advice for living fearlessly, taking risks, and prioritizing family. The book did feel a bit scattered, but that could be my own expectations interfering. 4 stars.

Steal Like an Artist // Austin Kleon


This little book is a pithy pep talk. Inspiring, quotable, whittled down to a few quick scrawls and snippets to catapult your own thoughts. It’s a starting point, and I like where it leads. The biggest thing I took away is that our work is a sum of our influences–and that’s okay. For any creative worried about originality or feeling short on ideas, this is a great pick-me-up. 5 stars!

Enoch’s Ghost // Bryan Davis

(Continuing my reread of Dragons in Our Midst / Oracles of Fire / Children of the Bard series) Oh goodness, I’d forgotten how much I love this one. Themes of sacrifice run like a scarlet thread through the narrative, characters grow and develop through excruciating circumstances, and the threat facing our heroes is cataclysmic.

Ashley, struggling to relinquish control, has never been more relatable to me than right now. And I love her relationship with Walter! I’m also a huge fan of Second Eden, the infinite staircase, Dikaios, Elam, and Timothy. (That Timothy . . . he breaks my heart.) Everything wrapped up so incredibly well, with just enough hope amidst the disaster to last me until the next book! 5 stars!

Siren’s Song // Mary Weber

Whew, this was quite the trilogy! There were a few things overall that I wasn’t too keen on, but my love for Nym’s journey and the powerful themes eclipse those minor annoyances. In this book, it’s evident that Nym has come so far since the beginning. There were many characters to love, and even the dastardly Myles garnered my approval. (It helped that he reminded me of Loki.) The pace left my heart pounding, and the ending was thematically magnificent. 5 stars!

Unblemished // Sara Ella

I was a bit worried it wouldn’t live up to the hype, but it was surprisingly good! It had some Once Upon a Time vibes, which made me happy. At first, the mysteries were easy to see through, and the beginnings of a love triangle seemed predictable. But then the plot twists started happening, and I actually grew to like the love triangle. (Gasp!) Life-or-death stakes have a way of breathing fresh life on that old trope. And in case you’re wondering, I’m Team Ky. 4.5 stars.

The Minish Cap // Akira Himekawa

I don’t read many graphic novels, just as I don’t play many Legend of Zelda games, but this was a fun, quick read with an adorable drawing style. Link, Zelda, and the Picori were super cute. It was rather fast-paced–just the nature of graphic novels, I guess–but the ending was satisfying. 4 stars.

Paper and Fire // Rachel Caine

I read the first book on vacation last year, so it seemed fitting to continue while on another holiday! This one consisted of an intense rescue plot, an alternate-universe Rome, creepy automatons, much sneaking around, brilliant details, forbidden books, and serious squad goals. These crusty munchkins are becoming a family and I love it. The only things I didn’t love? The continuation of a romance that goes against my beliefs, a small smattering of language, and the fact the main love interest seemed to be the only person lacking personality. But overall, I adore this series and can’t wait to get my hands on the third book! 4.5 stars.

All the Crooked Saints // Maggie Stiefvater

With the lyricism of The Raven Cycle and none of its objectionable content, THIS was the kind of Stiefvater book I’ve been looking for! It was lovely, atmospheric, and somehow managed to be a feel-good story without the inherent cheesiness. The omniscient point-of-view worked beautifully, the very setting seemed alive, and the lovable cast was quirky as all get-out. What really got me is the message of hope: healing is found through opening yourself up to help others, and this eclectic crew of pilgrims on a Colorado ranch in the 1960s proved that better than anyone. 5 stars!

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets // J.K. Rowling

More rollicking adventures in Hogwarts! The plot felt at times like a replica of the first book (until the plot twist happened), but I was having too much fun to care. A few things you must know: a) I am going to visit the Weasely’s Burrow if it’s the last thing I do, b) Mandrakes are hilarious, c) the duel scene was the best, d) Lockhart is annoying 95% of the time, e) Draco–just Draco, and f) somebody get me book 3 pronto. 5 stars!

Subplots of My Own Making

Not a ton to report on the writing front this month, unfortunately. Going away for a week may have had something to do with that. But! I did accomplish a few things.

I listened to episode 13 of The Creative Way, a writing course by Ted Dekker that has been taking me forever to finish. (But it’s still excellent.)

I did a short critique for a critique partner. Her story is awesome.

I wrote a 300 word flash fiction and submitted it to Splickety.

I rewrote chapters one and two of The Brightest Thread AGAIN and finally moved into chapter 3. I hope I’ve stopped spinning my wheels on this opening, because I’d really like to make some progress before Realm Makers (which is two and a half weeks away!!!). It may be too soon to say, but I think, perhaps, maybe, this new opening is “The One.” It stays true to the original version more than my other rewriting attempts, but I think it’s mechanically stronger.

Whew! If you made it this far, here’s a refill on that lemonade. What were your June highlights? Have you read/watched anything mentioned here? What’s your ideal holiday? I hope you have a fantastic July! And to my Canadian friends–happy Canada Day!

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When an Overachiever Rebels – a brain dump

Tracey Dyck 18 Comments
You ready for a brain dump?
Sometimes plans change.
Last week I gave you all an update on The Brightest Thread’s editing progress, which was not nearly as far as I had planned. See, I seem to think I’m Wonder Woman, and I plan accordingly. A few months ago, while finishing up my second semester at business school, I sketched out big summer editing plans.
  1. Finish compiling feedback from my beta readers before exams
  2. Edit this entire novel before school starts again in September
  3. In fact, get as much of TBT edited as possible before Realm Makers in mid-July
Ha! It’s only the beginning of June, but things are already off track. Step 1 was finished a month after exams. And steps 2-3 are well on their way to . . . not being completed, at least not under that timeline. I am, after all, still plunking away at chapter one. And there are thirty more chapters to go, some of them gnarlier than others. (Hey, if gnarly is a word, then why can’t gnarlier be one too, hmm?)

“But what’s the big deal?” you might be wondering. “Just adjust your goals.”

The Big Deal is that my brain is a giant, whirring to-do list. Doing, achieving, and checking off boxes is hardwired into my thought process. My personality just likes progress! While some people need to work up the will to get moving, I have to consciously rein myself back so that I STOP now and then. (Neither temperament is good or bad–it’s just how we operate.)

This all means that backing off from an unrealistic goal usually feels more like admitting defeat than, um, being smart.

Now, I am starting to get better at adjusting my goals. I’m slowly learning how to pace myself so that I don’t burn out so often. In the past few weeks, as I’ve watched the Goal Train pull far, far ahead of me until all I could make out was a tiny caboose, I had to pause and re-evaluate. Want to hear how that conversation with myself went? (The correct answer is yes, of course you do, and no, you don’t have anything better to do at the moment like eat peanut butter or clean your room or rule the world.)
* * *

Me: So. Those editing goals we made? Yeah, we’re awfully behind.


Also Me: Shush. We’re fine.

Me: No, I mean one-third of our summer vacation is OVER. That means we should be at least ten chapters into The Brightest Thread revisions.

Also Me: Right, and we’re perfectly–

Me: NO. THERE IS NO “PERFECTLY” ANYTHING. WE ARE STILL STUCK ON CHAPTER ONE.

Also Me: *is stressed*

Also Me: Okay. So let’s do something about that. Let’s make plans to work really, really hard the rest of June and all of July and August, and we can still make this happen.

Me: Oh, great, so I guess all we’ll do is eat, sleep, edit, and go to work. It’s not like we have an actual family or friends or–good heavens–a social life. Or a blog, or books to read so that the creative well doesn’t dry up, or movies we want to see, or places we want to go, or even a summer we want to live.

from my recent road trip adventures
Also Me: WELL THEN WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST?

Me: Let’s trash the goals.

Also Me: . . .

Also Me: Did you just hear yourself?

Me: I should hope so, because you and I are the same person and we are carrying on a conversation. (Wonder which one of us is Sméagol?)

Also Me: We never scrap the goals. Never.

Me: I know. And that’s why you’re tired.

Also Me: But sometimes you have to push on even when you’re tired so that you build stamina. What about learning how to write fast and write even when you don’t feel like it? That’s what real authors do under contract! You do want a publishing deal one day, right?

Me: Calm down. You are doing just fine. Look, you wrote Mirrors Never Lie with full college classes and part-time shifts going on at the same time. You expanded The Brightest Thread into a novel last summer. You’ve written under deadline for a bunch of contests, and for even more self-imposed deadlines. You did the 100-for-100 challenge two summers ago. You know how to put your butt in the chair and fingers on the keyboard and write, and you’ll just keep getting better at it. Choosing to slow down doesn’t mean you’re failing.

Also Me: Yeah, yeah, okay. But does this mean we have to break up TBT edits into two chunks? Leave it for eight months while we go back to school, and then come back to it next summer to finish? This will create so much extra work.

Me: But missing out on people and life in favor of meeting a goal kind of sucks. So I propose that we trash the goals, take the pressure off, and just see what happens. Let’s make time for the important people in life, live in the moment, and really give TBT the time and care it needs rather than rush through a slapdash round of revisions.

Also Me: That sounds . . . kind of relieving. But what about Realm Makers? You’re pitching TBT there! They say “complete manuscripts only!”

Me: TBT is complete. We’re just improving it.

Also Me: But–

Me: Besides, you know how slowly the publishing business moves. Don’t borrow troubles that don’t exist yet.

Also Me: *sigh* Fine. I surrender. And who knows? With this new non-plan of no pressure, we might end up being more productive.

Me: Maybe. But don’t push it.

* * *
also from the road trip
So that’s my roundabout way of saying that I kicked my goals to the side and decided to keep a more balanced pace this summer. After two years of almost non-stop movement, I need a break. It’s tough to admit it. After finally coming to grips with the fact that I wouldn’t get much writing done at all during college this past year, I clung to the hope that I had all summer to write/edit as I pleased. What I didn’t anticipate was the leftover fatigue. But you know what? Time and freedom and careful pondering are what my novel needs right now.
And I think The Brightest Thread will turn out better for it.

I still find myself looking over at those crumpled goals lying in the corner, wondering if maybe I’m being weak or undisciplined for putting them aside. But deep down, I know I’m not. I know this is another lesson in living the best possible life, a life in which I can work and play and be without guilt.

What about you? I know this felt like a “me, me, me” kind of post, but hopefully it was encouraging–especially for those of you who might be in a similar spot right now. (The humor of this post being published kind of late is not lost on me.) So tell me, how do you know when it’s time to ease up and relax?



P.S. You may be wondering what’s happened to this year’s Silmarillion Awards. Never fear, they are still on the schedule! But we have elected to bump them a little bit later in the year, for reasons that Jenelle Schmidt so wonderfully explains HERE.

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Subplots and Storylines – May 2018

Tracey Dyck 30 Comments

Happy Saturday, everyone! By the time this post goes up, it’ll be almost Sunday. Oops. It actually feels like I just wrote my last S&S post a week ago, but May is over already. Who on earth gave it permission to go so fast? It’s been a really good month. For one thing, it was unseasonably warm, and the days were full of gardening, ice cream, and peppermint tans.*

*This is when a bookworm sits out in the sun to read and ends up with limbs that are pink on top and still winter-white on the bottom.

For another, May was also full of friend-stuff. Confession: although I love all my friends dearly, I am also an introvert who guards her alone time and likes her social life to have . . . gaps in between. But this month I decided that my introversion, while valid, does not have to mean I’m stingy with my time! So I ended up face-timing a writer friend, shopping with a college friend, inviting another friend over for dinner, and then taking a six-hour road trip to another pal’s place for a weekend. (All of you extroverts may take this moment to laugh at me making a big deal over only four social events.)

Anyway, ’twas all very fun! I’d never road-tripped anywhere by myself before, so it was like a mini-vacation. The friend I visited (whom I haven’t seen in a year) lives on a farm with horses and bees and the most affectionate, slobbery, big dogs I’ve ever met.

And now on to the story-related happenings of May: the ones I watched, read, and wrote.

Screen Subplots

Justice League

Recommendation: do not watch this half a week after seeing Infinity War, because it will pale in comparison. It seems like Justice League was trying to be a DC version of Avengers and it just . . . didn’t work for me at all. The plot wasn’t cohesive, none of the major characters had any personal stakes in their cause, the villain was a negative number on the Scariness Scale, and Clark Kent’s face was botched by poor CGI. The best part of the movie was the presence of Wonder Woman and the introduction of the Flash. (Except Grant Gustin brought the character to life so, so much better in the TV show than Ezra Miller does in this flick.)

My brother reviewed the movie over on The Steadfast Pen a while back, and he went into more detail about some of the things that didn’t quite work.

Spider-Man 2

Watched this with my siblings and ahhh, the cringe! The nostalgia! Sadly, it was far less cool this time around than it was the first time I saw it. But it’s one of those movies that’s still fun to see, if only for the fact that my siblings and I had way too much fun joking about it.

The Death Cure

Still every bit as good as when I saw it in theaters! I might even go so far as to say it was the strongest movie in the trilogy. More thoughts were shared in February’s Subplots and Storylines post!

Emma (BBC 2009 version)

I LOVED IT SO MUCH. This is only the second Jane Austen movie I’ve seen–the first being Pride and Prejudice, the one with Kiera Knightley–and I thoroughly enjoyed all four hours of it. So much that I want to go buy it right now.

Emma is the sort of person who believes she is always right, and it was rewarding to see the crumbling of her matchmaking plans force her to grow in humility. And Mr. Knightley . . . I didn’t think anyone could top Mr. Darcy, but Knightley might have just done it for me. He and Emma have the sort of bantering/bickering sort of friendship that grows between two stubborn people who aren’t afraid to speak their minds. His loyalty and honesty was fantastic.

There was a plethora of other vibrant characters gracing the screen too: the worrisome Mr. Woodhouse (“They might do something reprehensible–like open the windows!”), kind governess Anne Taylor, empty-headed Harriet Smith, snobbish Mr. Elton, charismatic Frank Churchill, incessantly talkative Mrs. Bates, and reserved Jane Fairfax. Speaking of Mrs. Bates, I found the picnic scene surprisingly convicting–if you’ve watched it, you might know why.

But seriously. Mr. Knightley. Excellent character right there. I must read the book.
Period Drama Confessions! gif

Page Storylines

Eye of the Oracle // Bryan Davis

Well, I’ve finished rereading the Dragons in Our Midst series this year, so it was time to kick off the Oracles of Fire series! Returning to this huge story was really enjoyable. I’m in awe of Bryan Davis’s ability to weave a single story through millennia–literally, because the book starts just before the Great Flood and ends in the modern day.

Sapphira and Elam remain some of my favorite characters; so do Makaidos* and Thigocia! It was neat to refresh my memory on all the connections between the dragons and other important characters–both heroes and villains–throughout history. But lest you think this tome is boring, oh no! Battles with demonic Watchers, the toils of underground slaves, portal jumping, the growth of a Nephilim army, and so much more jumps off the page.

*Makaidos is probably one of my favorite dragons ever.

Plus the foreshadowing is spectacular. New readers could pick this up without much trouble, but readers of Dragons in Our Midst will catch dozens of hints.

5 stars!

The Sea of Monsters // Rick Riordan

I read primarily YA, so whenever I dip my toes in MG (middle grade), I’m fascinated and amused by the different approach. But before I go all writer nerd on you, here’s what I noticed as a reader.

I loved the humor, the taxi of death, Tyson, Percy’s water navigation skills, the sirens, the man-eating sheep, and the shouted conversation about Nobody.* The villain’s plan, although revealed a little late, was great too. On the negative side, the plot matched that of the first book almost beat for beat, and there could have been some more introspection at certain moments that needed a reaction.

*”I REMEMBER YOU!”

Thankfully, Percy didn’t suffer the fate of the unchanged-protagonist-who-learned-nothing-in-the-previous-book. He was stronger, braver, and more at ease with his gifts, even if he was simultaneously more upset with his father. I’m looking forward to finally continuing the Percy Jackson series.

4.5 stars!

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone // J.K. Rowling

Hello, my name is Tracey Dyck, I’m 22 years old, and this was my first foray into the world of Harry Potter.

Yes. You may all gasp.

But guess what? I’m utterly enchanted! This made me laugh out loud multiple times, and made me want to visit Hogwarts for myself. Harry is a wonderful hero–sympathetic, clever, relatable, and unexpectedly brave. Ron and Hermione make for brilliant friends. The whole cast of characters, in fact, was distinct and charming.

I did have some quibbles. There were times when the lying and sneaking around actually weren’t necessary–and it did seem that Harry and his pals could have faced more consequences for their frequent breaches. Hagrid, though I love him, was revealed to be a bit less worthy of respect than I thought, which was too bad. And I still can’t figure out how Harry and Ron chucked pipes and bathroom taps at the troll–did they rip them right out of the wall or what? (Seriously, someone please enlighten me.)

But the deft writing style, magical wonder, and pop-off-the-page characters make this a book I’ll probably buy. It may have taken me two decades to get to Hogwarts, but I’ll be visiting again real soon.

4.5 stars!

Gravestone (audiobook) // Travis Thrasher

What better way to make a road trip pass by quickly than to listen to an audiobook? Although I did briefly question the wisdom of listening to a creepy story whilst driving through remote countryside. Heh.

This sequel to Solitary is a dark and winding road, much like the mountain path leading up to the Crag’s Inn where Chris works. It’s gloomy. It’s sad at times, intense in others, but just like the inn, there are rays of light beginning to penetrate Chris’s messed-up world.

The plot kept me on my toes as I tried to figure out who to trust. Even though I’ve read this book before, that was five years ago, and I forgot some of the twists. There were genuinely creepy moments standing in stark contrast to several sweet interactions and thought-provoking conversations. Chris’s emotions are very real–the grief, the anger, the confusion, the weariness, the fear.

Looking forward to revisiting the rest of the series. 5 stars!

Written Subplots

Despite the fact that I am so behind on my writing goals, this was actually a pretty productive month. (More on those goals in an upcoming post, I think.)

During the first half of May, I finished compiling beta reader feedback on The Brightest Thread. This covered chapters 20 through 31. I also reviewed the feedback forms I had sent them, which resulted in a document almost fifty pages long.

Because my head was swirling with all the helpful reactions and advice from about a dozen different people, I cracked open a fresh, new notebook to scribble in while I edit. This will be the place I nail down the biggest issues to fix in each chapter and brainstorm how to patch them up.

And then . . . in the second half of May, I dove into ACTUAL EDITING. I love this stage of the writing process! But it’s also challenging right now. In the past couple of weeks, I’ve rewritten my opening several times (bringing me up to about six different versions of chapter one, including one that was split into two chapters because it got so long). Just when I thought I might be on the right track, some sage feedback from a mentor opened my eyes to several blunders I’d made while trying to correct the original chapter’s mistakes. Sometimes you have to make a mess in order to clean up, you know?

So as June unfolds, I’ll keep hammering away at chapter one. It’s a tricky beast, for some reason, but I just know there’s a smashing good opening to be found somewhere!

By the by, once editing is really in full swing this summer, I plan to put together a walk-through post of my editing process, since some of you writerly types have shown interest.

On another writing note, Realm Makers is less than 50 days away now! Say what?! This month I scheduled my mentor appointment and two agent appointments, which makes the conference feel incredibly real and incredibly close. I also submitted the first ten pages of The Brightest Thread for a paid critique appointment . . . which now feels a bit silly, since I’m reworking those pages entirely anyway. But perhaps I’ll still glean something valuable from the feedback?

Yet another writing thingamajig that went down this May was a brainstorming/planning session for a Very Secret Project. I shall not breathe a word of it yet, but it’s coming along. Simmering busily in the back of my mind while I go about my work and editing and other such things. I have tentatively planned to reveal this project sometime this summer, so keep your eyes peeled!*

*Is this not just the weirdest phrase? The thought of putting a potato peeler anywhere near my eyeballs is horrendous.

So yes! That was May!

I hung out with actual people, went on a road trip, got a peppermint tan, hopped back on the Percy Jackson train, and at very long last caught the Harry Potter train too. (Speaking of trains, I’m so happy to finally understand what platform nine and three-quarters means.) I’ve not had this much writing news to share in a long time, and it feels good. Also I seem to be footnote-happy today. So there you have it. My summer break is off to a lovely start.

Now tell me, how are you? Do you like road trips? Harry Potter: yay or nay? Any guesses as to the nature of the Very Secret Project? What are your summer plans, folks?

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Don’t Leave Change to Chance

Tracey Dyck 31 Comments
[image mine; edited with Portra and BeFunky]

I attended a college graduation this week. It was strange to see a new batch of students on the very stage on which I stood a year ago!

For the more recent readers here, my post-high school life thus far looks like this:

  • Spent a year looking for a job
  • Found a retail position and just worked for a year
  • Went to the aforementioned college (while still working part-time on the side) where I completed a nine-month program that focuses on building leaders who are strong in their faith and also successful in the business world
  • And most recently, completed my first year of a business diploma (yep, still working in the meantime)

Anyway, life progression aside, seeing a new class graduate made me realize how fast time moves! Something the valedictorian said in her speech stuck out to me:

“Don’t leave change to chance.”

Something like this leadership program is only as valuable as the effort a student puts into it. Simply attending won’t do a blessed thing. The same goes for a multitude of other opportunities for learning. A powerful book, a thought-provoking blog post, the wisdom of a mentor, a challenge before you, a mind-numbing job, a sandpaper person*, an informative class. All of these have the potential to mold you, change you, and catapult you to a higher level of life, but only if you do your part.

*None of us shall name names, but we all know these individuals–abrasive, prickly, uncomfortable-to-be-around people whose role in your life is to smooth your rough edges.

What is our part?

We are constantly processing information. I don’t know enough science to go into the cognitive details, but your brain filters a CRAZY amount of data all the time. You discard what is unimportant, routine, and involuntary in order to function, since your focus is incredibly narrow. How does a magician fool an audience? Misdirection. If you’re watching one hand wave the scarf over here, you won’t see the other hand reach for the card over there. It takes concentrated effort to ignore the flashy new things your brain deems as “important” in order to focus on a crucial but mundane detail.

How often do you read or hear something and think, “Wow, that was good. I need to remember that.” And then . . . don’t? Yeah, me too. I don’t even remember what I had for lunch yesterday. It wasn’t important.

Okay, so what am I getting at? We’ve covered grads, brains, and magicians, oh my!

The point is this. You want to change. So do I. But we leave transformation to chance most of the time. We sit around waiting for a golden key to fall into our lap, for Gandalf to knock on our door, for someone to invent a USB port in the back of our skulls so that we can download new skills. But it doesn’t work that way.

Proverbs 2 talks about pursuing wisdom (personified throughout the book as a woman), and it uses a lot of action verbs.

  • Accept what I am telling you
  • Store my counsel deep within you
  • Listen for Lady Wisdom
  • Attune your ears to her
  • Engage your mind
  • Cry out for insight
  • Beg for understanding
  • Sift through the clamor of everything around you
  • Seek wisdom
  • Search for it
  • Grasp what it means
  • Discover knowledge

And here’s what this wisdom will do for you.

With this wisdom you will be able to choose the right road, seek justice, and decide what is good and fair because wisdom will penetrate deep within and knowledge will become a good friend to your soul. (Proverbs 2: 9-10, the Voice translation)

 It goes on to say that sound judgment will stand guard over you, and wisdom will keep you away from wrong paths. I don’t know about you, but I could use a good dose of wisdom in my life. But it won’t come to me by chance. Neither will true change.

This is our part: to take responsibility for our own growth, to seek wisdom, to listen, to reflect, to apply.

Start small. To think of changing your entire life from the ground up is overwhelming. Instead, pick one habit to replace. When you’re studying, pick out one thing you can apply right now. When you step into an environment that encourages change, use it. Seek, store, discover. Sift through the clamor. Fall in love with change. Fall in love with the pursuit of wisdom. Involve God on the journey, too. He gives wisdom without finding fault in you.

It’s been said that the clearest memories are made by repetition or strong emotion. Once you’ve grasped a nugget of wisdom, don’t let it go! Find ways to repeat it to yourself, whether it’s leaving notes around the house or setting a reminder on your phone or learning the discipline of reflection. Attach emotions to it if you can. Envision what your life could be like if you applied that little lesson; paint the most vivid picture you can.

And then act. The quickest way to get something from your head to your heart is to start moving your hands and feet.

What’s something small you want to change this week? Don’t leave it to chance.

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