Five Little Ducks by Emily Owen

My nephew turned three recently.  About a week after his birthday, I saw him, and he told me – very proudly – that; “I was two but now I’m three.”

I said, “Wow! Will you ever be two again?” (I’m not actually sure why I asked him that!)

He said, “yes,” and so I asked him when he’d be two again?

He thought about it, then said, “When it’s the summer holidays.”

This was just a throwaway conversation at bath time, and was soon lost in renditions of ‘five little ducks went swimming one day’ and drinking cups of bubble bath tea.

But afterwards, I thought about that conversation.

When it was the holidays, he’d turn back time.

Now of course I know he won’t really, but it’s the concept that interested me.

Holidays: Take a break from everyday life.

Turn back time: Remember a previous state.

When it was the holidays, he’d turn back time.

I thought, what could that mean for us as Christian writers?

The meaning of take a break is, in some ways, self-explanatory.  Difficult to do, but self-explanatory.  And possible, even when we think it’s not.

‘Remember a previous state’ was brought home to me recently, when I was asked what lay behind the idea for one of my books.  The question made me pause (or take a break).  As I pondered it, I realised the answer went right back to my childhood.  The concept I build on in the book is a concept I first learned, sitting in church, as a child.  This led me on a further trip down memory lane, as I recalled other times of meeting with God, of getting to know Him better, of spending time with Him.

We all have different stories of God, but we can look back and remember times He was especially close.  Or we were especially blessed.

When it was the holidays, he’d turn back time.

Do we make time to do that?  Time to pause in our writing and look back.  If we do, we’ll be reminded that God has been with us all the way. Through the ups and downs. And if anyone hasn’t had down times as well as up times in their writing journey, please let me know your secret!

Be strong and courageous…for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.

(Deuteronomy 31:6)

God is with us, all the way.

Just to go back to bath time, and the song my nephew and I sang:

‘Five little ducks went swimming one day

Over the hills and far away

Mummy duck said quack quack quack quack

And the little ducks came swimming back.’

Writing is a gift from God.  If He’s called us to it, He’ll help us in it. 

Calling us back, each time we sit down to write. 

And if we drift off, He’ll still call us back.

When the time is right, He’ll always call us back.

But only after we’ve been encouraged, refreshed and renewed. 

By remembering that He has never left us. 

Not for a single second.

When it was the holidays, he’d turn back time.