Giving a Hoot

My husband has been really encouraging me lately in my writing.  Well, he has always been encouraging even when I was avoiding it like the plague.  Through his promptings and the Holy Spirit's, I started really writing in earnest about two years ago.  And since then he has been my biggest (no, he's not fat) supporter.

Last night while we were out for dessert (remember how he owed me big time! lol) he asked me how my latest project was going.  I explained some of the story line to him, things I wanted to change and also some things I wasn't too sure about.  He listened, asked questions, made suggestions and was generally quite awesome.

What makes it more awesome is that my husband does not read fiction at all.  Ever.  He likes some movies, but the only reading he does is for seminary, his own research, or whatever the pastor is leading the board through at the time.  So, the fact that he was engaging me in this was extra cool because I know he has no interest in fiction what-so-ever.

Not only did he listen and nod and ask another leading question in order to comply with the common sense rules and etiquette for social interactions, he asked what he knew would challenge and encourage me.  He challenged my setting and asked me what I was doing to make sure people could connect with the characters as real people.  He asked me what the "hook" was in my story.  It was cool.

I've now been thinking that I need to be more like that in my conversations with him as well as with others, especially people in my church.  We are called upon to spur one another on to love and good works.  That will include me asking people about things that I couldn't give a hoot about, but I know are important to them, especially areas in which I know God is working and moving.

And while I don't think I'm going to do everything my husband suggested (ie. make an outline of my book from start to finish! Desecration!) it has got me thinking in broader terms that I know gives even more space for the Holy Spirit to work.  And for that I am very very thankful.