I’m on the homestretch with From the Ground Up, my second novel. If I’m studious this weekend (what, me?), I’ll write two of the most beautiful words in the English language on Monday:
Finishing a book is hard. Real hard.*
Starting a book? Now that’s pretty fun. There’s an energy that comes with a fascinating plot idea and characters who** surprise you with their personalities.
But finishing? That’s tough stuff. I could’ve had a bonfire of epic height back in the day with all the childhood stories I started in Mead five-star notebooks…and didn’t finish.
In fact, if someone was*** really smart, they’d develop a new career tailored specifically for authors like me – a professional book finisher. This could be lucrative, I’m telling you. The author starts the book with a bang, introduces characters who spark with life, writes as far as the muddly-middle and lets the professional book finisher take it from there.
Genius, yes? (If somebody takes this notion and runs with it and makes millions, just remember where you got the idea.)
Finishing. It’s tough. You know that whole teeth-pulling metaphor? Totally fitting here, especially if we’re talking pre-Novocaine dentistry.
What pushes me on, though, is knowing at the end I’ll have a complete story. What I envisioned at the start – an amusing, moving, complete story – will have come to fruition. It can be difficult, though, hanging on to that vision in the middle of a story. Characters misbehave, plots stall, real life tugs. And I temporarily lose sight of that much-dreamed-of, finished, fullness.
How awesome is it that God’s not like that?
He’s promised to finish what he started in us, yeah? I love that. I love that He sees every beginning through to a divine end. I love that He doesn’t give up in the middle.
But it’s not only his follow-through I cherish, but the fact that He never loses sight of the end. I believe when He looks at us, when we’re muddling through life’s “middles,” He sees us not only as we are in that moment, but how he envisioned us from the start. He sees the bends in the road we can’t yet, the ways we’ll grow, the good he has for us. Wherever we are in our “story,” He’s there – fully present in our now, fully mindful of our later.
In our dark moments, he already has a hold on the healing to come.
In our sin, he knows forgiveness will win.
In whatever temporary ugly bogs us down, he sees the beautiful truth which will pull us up.
And when we can’t see past our middles, when we’re distracted or distraught, we can find comfort and hope in knowing He not only sees The End…
He’s written it already.
Question time: What “middles” drag you down? Does it ever seem like you’ll never get to “the end?” How does God, your Author, comfort you when you can’t see past your present?
*Yes, I know that’s bad grammar. Sorry, I’m using up all my proper-grammaring skills on the book.
**Whom? See previous footnote.
***Were? It’s a sad day for English teachers everywhere.
Comments 2
I’m the opposite! When I get about 80K in, a second wind hits me and I get excited about the end. I’m not a late owl by any means. Oh I hate late nights. So an early bird, but when I hit that stretch, I’ve been known to stay up until 2/3 a.m. just to get there.
I love a finished work. I love that God’s not finished with me yet and that He sees a product I don’t. Love how you brought all that together. Can’t wait to read your blog Monday and see that you have typed…The End! Yay! Have a great weekend. By the way, I went to buy the Almond Joy creamer but it was in the BIG bottle and I was afraid I’d hate it and didn’t want to waste dough. If only I could find a big bottle, or I’ll end up saying forgeddaboutit and buying it. 🙂
I need that push now! I’m on the very end! Ahhhh!!! And then it’s revision time…this is actually pretty much my second time through the book – I’d written a ton of it, then scrapped it all. I love revisions, though, so I’m excited to move on!
Oh, funny about the creamer. I spent about 10 minutes (okay, maybe three) in front of a case of creamers at the store the other day. Sooo many amazing kinds. There was one I reeaaally wanted, but now I can’t remember what it was…I didn’t buy it at the time ’cause I was already over my grocery budget (such restraint!)…darn, I wish I could remember what it was. Should’ve skipped restraint and just bought it!