Writing-Sabbatical Update #1

This past week I began a four-week “writing sabbatical,” and the whole thing went really well. The church was generous to release me from my responsibilities so that I could commit focused-time to working on my dissertation. The goal is to work my typical 40+ hours a week but spend that time writing – so that by the end of the month I might have a rough draft – we’ll use rough draft here liberally – completed or at least close. That means that I have a goal of adding three or four more chapters to the four I already have written. The push is in order that I might hand this thing in by the cut-off next February. Last week was successful in moving me toward that in that I not only was able to finish a new chapter, but was able to make some connections and learn some things that have alluded me in the short bursts of time I’ve been working on the project thus far.

Besides the time I spent hammering away on research and writing this week, I was reminded of all the many people who have played such a huge role in supporting this work. There are too many to name, but this last week I was not only grateful for my wife and family who have to deal with my absence more than usual but also Camas Friends Church who’s given me the time to write (and in many ways taught me what to write about!), as well as St. Anne’s Episcopal Church (Washougal) who gave me the space where I could leave all my scattered about for the week and do writing in a quiet and distraction-free space. Their administrative assistant even brought me freshly baked bread one day.

I am grateful and I know God is watching over for me as I pursue this work. In a prayer I said each morning, I was reminded that the work I am do is something I believe in, and something that is a part of my calling and ministry. I am thankful to those of you who have supported this call throughout as well.