Picture of the Day:

Breathtaking view through the trees of my church building.

Quote of the Day: 

"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending."

-Maria Robinson

Okay, so this blog is called Penned Perfection because it is supposed to be about my writing endeavors. So, today, I would like to update you, my dearest reader, on the state of affairs of my work. 

Truly, this shall be a short entry.

I have not done much by the way of writing. I cannot explain it, but it seems that more I take my medicines for my bi-polar depression, the less creativity I have. Nonetheless, I have managed to pound out a few things, and have an idea for something else. And that, my friends, is what I shall talk about today. 

So I joined this writing circle, and since then, I have done a lot of short story work. I am horrible at them--I loathe them--but I am finding myself growing as a writer. I am forcing myself to write outside my normal genre of epic-romance and fantasy and try new things. So far I have written a piece called "Split" that may or may not get put up here in the future, and a challenge piece that is based on the epicly disastrous camping trip I took with my family right before Christmas. 

The defining line I would use as an excerpt from that piece is this:

         “Hadn’t all the camping spots been reserved for tents?” Katie asked Alex as they were unloading the truck.

            “Yeah, why?”

            “…Isn’t it weird that we’re the only ones here, then?” Alex never answered.

You can only imagine the rest. Maybe that will get put up someday, too. 

But the one I am excited about is the idea. I was listening to my iPod when the song "Orphan Train" by Lee Ann Womack came on--it must have been the right time for me to hear the song, because I immediately wanted to turn it into a story. Anyway, I see this great, lonely train station with people from all over time and space gathered in wait. I want to tell a story about a walk with God through a train station. It sounds like a hard task to me, especially with the way my writing has gone recently, but hey. It is probably worth a shot.

Here are the lyrics, since I cannot locate a video on YouTube that plays the song. Apparently, it is not one of her well-known ones.

Come all you broken hearted, come and lay your burden down.

Come kings and queens, come royalty, surrender up your crown.

Come empty-handed come with nothing of your own to claim.

Come naked, poor, come like a child to ride the orphan train.

Come ride, ride on the orphan train,

Put your ear to the track, you can hear your name.

Come ride, ride on the orphan train, it'll take you all the way home.

Come you abandoned, you forsaken,

Friendless and alone, come refugees left homesick for

Some place you've never known.

Here princes, paupers, criminals and saints are all the same

No more or less than God's beloved child aboard this train. 

Come ride, ride on the orphan train,

Put your ear to the track, you can hear your name.

Come ride, ride on the orphan train, it'll take you all the way home.

The way is narrow, it is steep that brings you to the door

But love awaits there to embrace your heart forevermore 

Come ride, ride on the orphan train

Put your ear to the track, you can hear your name

Come ride, ride on the orphan train, it'll take you all the way home.

The way is narrow, it is steep that brings you to the door,

But love awaits there to embrace your heart forevermore 

It'll take you all the way home.

It's gonna take you all the way home.

My favorite line is bolded for you. Just to give you an idea of the inspiration for my piece. Enjoy!