October Writing Prompt #11: Be Not Afraid

Hello, friends. Tanner's prompt for today is Be Not Afraid.

In the Tortall books, written by my favorite author, Tamora Pierce, all would-be knights have to enter a place called the Chamber of the Ordeal before they can be knighted. There is only one rule that knights have to follow while in the Chamber: they can't make a sound. Easy, right?

The Chamber forces these would-be knights to experience everything they fear the most. From spiders to drowning to darkness to failure to uselessness to helplessness to death, the Chamber spares no effort to prove that you are unworthy to be a knight of the realm. It is ruthlessly specific, magically knowing exactly how to break each individual. Only those who can withstand it without making a sound are released from the Chamber to become knights.

In the Divergent series by Veronica Roth, each person who wants to become a member of the Dauntless faction must face their fears in something called the fear landscape. They are injected with a serum that brings their fears to the forefront of their minds, and then put into a simulation in which they have to face those fears. The fewer fears one has, the more admirable a person is considered. One of the main characters, Tobias, is nicknamed "Four" because he only has four fears; most people have between ten and fifteen.

These are not the only literary examples of facing your fears, but they show an important point that is often found in our society: you have to face your fears on your own in order to be accepted. To some extent, yes, it is important and valuable to face your fears. But the Chamber of the Ordeal and the Dauntless fear landscape fail to account for the fact that you rarely have to face your fears all alone. 

We are braver together, stronger together, more confident and daring and steadfast together. It's much easier to "be not afraid" when we remember that no man is an island. Imagine facing the Chamber of the Ordeal with your best friend or the fear landscape with your spouse. How much less daunting would it be?

This is Tanner's last prompt for the time being, but "be not afraid" - I have a special plan for November! Stay tuned!

October Writing Prompt #10: Childhood

Hello, friends. Tanner's prompt for today is Childhood.

The first story I ever wrote was in first grade, I think. It was about a donkey that died and came back to haunt its owner. Where this idea came from, I have no idea.

As a semi-functioning adult now, I find myself wanting to return to childhood. I want to return to when writing was new and fun and pressure-free. Here's my usual thought process when writing nowadays:

"I wonder if anyone will read this. Ugh, that doesn't sound good, let me fix that. I should word that differently so it doesn't sound weird. Let's cut out this whole section. You know what, scratch that, I'm starting over."

I put so much time and energy into crafting something that people will read, that I neglect to consider what I like about my own writing. I forget to enjoy it.

Here's how I wish my thought process sounded:

"Ooh, that's an interesting thought. That would fit nicely in this paragraph, or I could add a whole new section. Actually, you know what, there's enough to that thought to save it for something else entirely. Let's table that. I have enough here, and now that it's focused, I can concentrate on the wording."

See the difference?

Currently, I'm thinking about how other people will perceive what I write. It would be healthier and more beneficial for me to focus on what I'm writing. Full stop, add the period. 

I hope I can return to that childhood sense of wonder and thrill in writing.

Stay tuned for October 31st: Be Not Afraid.

October Writing Prompt #9: Silence

Hello, friends. Tanner's prompt for today is Silence.

I work in a school. Silence in the classroom can mean a few things:

1) The kids are quietly working.

2) The kids are staring off into space when they should be quietly working.

3) The kids have been too loud and/or obnoxious and are now on silent lunch.

4) The kids are in gym class and therefore not in the classroom. 

I'll let you judge for yourself which one you think is most common. ;) 

Silence can be an indicator that students are able to complete their work without assistance - a good sign. It can also be an indicator that students are struggling, but unwilling to ask for help for whatever reason - a bad sign. In the last year that I've been working in a school environment, my respect for teachers has grown a hundredfold, because they can tell the difference, and they know what to do about it.

My daughter is still attending school virtually. On Zoom, silence can mean so many different things. My respect for virtual teachers has grown a hundredfold, too, because I wouldn't even know where to begin!

Learning is so different this year, but one thing is the same - teachers are the best. 

Stay tuned for October 28th: Childhood.

October Writing Prompt #8: The Future

Hello, friends. Tanner's prompt for today is The Future.

Tomorrow, I will go to school on the morning. My daughter will (hopefully) spend her day doing her laundry. I'll leave school in the afternoon, go do a few things at my second job, and then head home. We're getting Tammy's senior pictures taken tomorrow, provided the weather cooperates.

I usually think of "the future" as a big, scary thing. But it's okay to not know what "the future" holds. If I can look ahead and presume that tomorrow, I'm going to be okay, that can be enough.

Sometimes I'm not sure of that, and that's okay too. When tomorrow is just as overwhelming of a thought as "the future" in general, I have people I can rely on to help me handle reality. I'm not alone.

These may seem like simple sentiments. Often, simple sentiments are what I need. And that's okay, too.

That's all I've got for tonight. Stay tuned for October 25th: Silence. 

October Writing Prompt #7: Begin

Hello, friends. Tanner's prompt for today is Begin.

You may have figured this out already, but just in case I haven't made it clear: I am a huge Pokemon nerd. I started out playing Pokemon Red on my Gameboy Advance when I was a kid and now I still spend hours on my 3DS, immersing myself in the Pokemon universe.

By far, my favorite part of every Pokemon game I've ever played is the beginning. I love choosing my name and appearance and starter Pokemon. I love the feeling of starting a new adventure. It's such an energizing, motivating, thrilling feeling. 

At the beginning of Pokemon Red, right before you can start to play the game, one of the characters says this iconic line:

"Your very own Pokemon legend is about to unfold! A world of dreams and adventures with Pokemon awaits! Let's go!"

Wouldn't that be a great way to begin every day? Minus the Pokemon parts, of course (although I would not object to more Pokemon in my everyday life). You could wake up each morning and say to yourself,

"Your very own legend is about to unfold! A world of dreams and adventures awaits! Let's go!"

It doesn't matter what our day holds. Whether it's the first day of vacation or the five-hundredth day of work, whether we'll be cooped up in our house or out and about, it's an adventure. If we look at it that way, what could change?

Stay tuned for October 22nd: The Future.

October Writing Prompt #6: Slow Down

Hello, friends. Tanner's prompt for to(yester)day is Slow Down.

My fourth grade student and I have the same conversation a lot. It goes like this:

"Are we in a rush?"

"No, dear, we're in no hurry at all."

"I thought you wanted me to go fast."

"No, I want you to take your time and do your work correctly."

Sometimes I wish someone would give me the same reminder. When I set out to write this blog post, I didn't want to write about slowing down. The idea of slowing down makes me feel bad. I know how my student feels! She looks around and sees her classmates doing things that she isn't doing or can't do, and she doesn't entirely understand why, and all she wants to do is speed up and catch up and be like everyone else. 

But that's not a reasonable expectation. It's more important for her to focus on herself and what she can do than on everyone else and what they can do.

In the same way, though I may feel that my progress in life is slow, though I may look around and see my friends and family doing things that I'm not doing or can't do, it wouldn't be helpful for me to try to speed up and catch up and be like everyone else. That's not a reasonable expectation. It's more important for me to take a breath and focus on myself and what I can do.

I'm not in a rush.

There's no hurry at all.

I can take my time.

It's okay to go slow.

Stay tuned for October 19th: Begin.

October Writing Prompt #5: Just Happy to Be Here

Hello, friends. Tanner's prompt for today is Just Happy to Be Here.

This morning, using a multiplication chart that she filled in herself, my fourth grade student was able to successfully complete one-digit-by-two-digit multiplication problems with minimal assistance. She independently used techniques that we've been practicing together for weeks. I almost cried, I was so proud of her.

It's easy for me to get caught up in what I feel I'm doing wrong. I focus on the bad or the it-could-be-better. But today? Today I'm just happy to be here, working with this kid every day, watching her grow in knowledge and skill and confidence. There's nothing quite like it.

That's all I've got this afternoon. Stay tuned for October 16th: Slow Down.

October Writing Prompt #4: Passion

Hello, friends! Tanner's prompt for today is Passion.

The first definition of "passion" that comes up on Google is "strong and barely controllable emotion." Merriam-Webster defines it as "intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction." The Cambridge English Dictionary simply calls it "a very powerful feeling."

Some synonyms include: fervor, ardor, zeal, commitment, fanaticism, mania, obsession.

You'll notice some of those words have positive connotations (fervor, ardor, zeal, commitment) and some have negative connotations (fanaticism, mania, obsession). 

I found two straightforward antonyms: indifference and apathy.

Passion, therefore, isn't good or bad on its own. Passion is just a feeling - an overwhelming feeling that controls and drives us. The only thing passion can't make us do is nothing.

I can see this in my life. For example, I am passionate about the fourth grade student I'm working with this year. My passion for helping her makes me an enthusiastic hard worker who is always looking out for her needs - but sometimes, it also leads me to overstep my bounds and make incorrect assumptions. My passion for this sweet kid can exhibit itself in both positive and negative ways. 

I am also passionate about my friendships. My passion for being a good friend makes me loyal, empathetic, and protective. It also leads me to anxiety and fits of jealousy and clinginess. Again, my passion for my friends exhibits itself in both positive and negative ways.

One of the Fruits of the Spirit is self-control. When you put it in context, it seems like a bit of an outlier.

"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control..." (Galatians 5:22-23)

I think it's last for a reason. It's to remind us that all of the other fruits can be co-opted by the devil. "Yes, you should love," he whispers, "and if they don't love you back, use your loving actions against them." He chides us, "If they reject your kindness, there's no need to show kindness again. You've done your part."

God gives us self-control so that when we lose sight of His intentions for His other gifts, we can find our way back. We don't have to let our passions control us. We can control them and use them in God-fearing ways. 

When we don't, well, we can remember the Passion of Christ, whose self-control led him to ignore the devil's temptations to let us be condemned. Because of Christ's Passion, we are saved, even when our passions lead us to sin. Because of Christ's Passion, we are forgiven and free to follow our passions down the path He has prepared for us.

Stay tuned for October 13th: Just Happy to Be Here.

October Writing Prompt #3: For A Moment

Hello, friends. Tanner's prompt for today is For A Moment.

My depression causes me to have mood swings. I can go from generally happy to convinced the world is going to end in an instant. I rarely go the other way that quickly; it can take me weeks to get back up from my low days.

When I have high days, I purposely hold onto them, because I know the moments will probably be fleeting. My birthday this year was one such day. I relived the fun moments over and over again in my mind. I wanted to remember how it felt when Lindsey brought me donuts, when Kelsey and Melissa gave me pints of my favorite custard, when we all played nun bowling and Uno Attack. Those might seem like simple things, but they made me feel loved, cared for, happy, and hopeful. Those feelings are a big deal for me. They often come but for a moment. I value them.

It didn't take long for those feelings to be memories again. I've gone through a couple high-low cycles since then.

I have hope that, though the low days seem to last forever, they are but for a moment, too. The high days are just as inevitable as the low ones. Would I rather the low days never happen? Sure, that'd be nice. The reality is that no matter how my depression progresses, there will always be low days. And there will always be high days.

Stay tuned for October 10th: Passion.

October Writing Prompt #2: Prayer

Hello, friends! Tanner's prompt for today is Prayer.

I have never been great at prayer. I know it's not exactly something that you can be "good" at - God listens whether you're eloquent or not, and Jesus even tells us to do it humbly rather than drawing attention to it. But I often find it very difficult to pray, because I want to *hear* an answer, and that's not exactly how prayer works.

Do you know who is awesome at prayer? Kids.

Kids are the best at prayer. They pray about everything and anything that comes to mind. I used to take prayer requests during Midweek School. Here are some things we regularly prayed for:

Anyone they knew who was sick or hurt with anything, from a skinned knee to cancer.

Help with school or sports.

Comfort for the families of people who died.

People who needed food or shelter.

Animals who needed homes.

People who didn't know Jesus.

Families going through divorce.

People in the military.

I always remembered the kind of goofy prayer requests. One kid prayed every Wednesday for a year that when he fell down, he wouldn't get hurt. (Not that he wouldn't fall down, mind you, just that he wouldn't get hurt when he did.) One little girl always prayed for her dead kittens.

Then there were the serious prayer requests. We prayed for the families of the victims of the Parkland shooting. When a child who attended school with some of our kids passed away, we prayed for his family. When some police officers were shot in my hometown, we prayed for their families. 

I love what the Bible tells us about prayer. 1st Thessalonians 5:17 says simply, "Pray without ceasing." We're not going to have deep and serious reasons to pray all the time. God cares about our "goofy" reasons to pray just as much as our deep and serious ones. Let's all try to be more like my old Midweek kids, and pray about everything. They trusted that God answers even when they don't hear it. We can, too.

Stay tuned for October 7th: For A Moment.

October Writing Prompt #1: Fall

Hello, friends! Great news: Tanner Olsen's writing prompts are back! Today's prompt is Fall.

Fall has always been my favorite season. I love the weather and the colors and the clothes. My birthday is in the fall. During high school, cross country and Homecoming were in the fall. I always loved dressing up for Halloween. District Youth Gatherings were in the fall. I have so many delightful fall memories. Just to name a few...

Because our vicar decided to take us swimming in the middle of the night during the junior high Gathering, the Gathering group as a whole got banned from the pool. 

I dressed up as Super Goldfish during Homecoming week once. 

Speaking of dressing up, I was Laura Ingalls Wilder for Halloween once, but everyone thought I was Little Bo Peep.

I loved being/having secret buddies during cross country season. We got each other small silly gifts for every meet. My personal favorite gift was a frisbee ball. It entertained the whole team for half an hour one day.

One of my all-time best birthdays was this year, when my friends provided me with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert, and then proceeded to crush me in Uno Attack.

I didn't cut my hair for years, and then chopped it off the day of the Homecoming dance one year. Between that and wearing a dress, hardly anyone recognized me!

So many of my high school friends were in band that I was a loyal fan at marching band competitions, and went to football games solely for the halftime show.

Speaking of football, fall was a busy, busy time when I was at University Lutheran. Tailgate days were crazy fun!

It's hard for me to think about Oklahoma, but I had some good fall memories there, too. The Board of Ed came up with a new tradition a few years ago that I hope they're still continuing: dress up Sundays during the month of October. Purple for LWML Sunday was an easy one; we'd do red for Reformation Day; and in between we'd do everything from Sunday best to cowboy gear.

Fall is fun. Caramel apples and colorful leaves and sweater weather... I'm glad to be on God's Earth this time of year!

Stay tuned for October 4th: Prayer.