People often ask me what it's like to have to continually write articles and sermons on a regular basis. I think the following will answer the question. I've titled it: "Thoughts of Someone Who Is Always Writing Something."

I used to think the most intimidating sight in the world was a blank piece of paper. Yes, of course, it means opportunity, but it also means challenge. What to fill the paper with that's meaningful and worthwhile.

But I have discovered something even more intimidating. The *#@^ blinking cursor. I turn on my computer, open my word processing program and there it is. It won't stop. It just keeps blinking and blinking. Like an old-time school teacher staring at you accusingly - her arms crossed, her foot tapping endlessly - it says, "Well, what do you have to say!"

"Aaaarrrgh" I yell at the cursor. "Leave me alone. I know the bulletin article was due yesterday morning. I'm working on it. Can't you just stop reminding me every nano second that the page is blank!"

Whoever thought I would be reduced to having a conversation with a virtual, blinking line. A very bad pun occurs to me: the cursor is turning me into a curser. (Sorry, I couldn't help myself. It's the English major in me.)

Maybe it's spring that's causing me to be so frivolous. The azaleas are in bloom. The top is down on my convertible - the open road calls and I'm stuck here inside. No religious school tonight because the children are on spring break. Or maybe it's the weird alignment of some of the planets - one of them must be in retrograde, whatever that means.

If all this isn't frustrating enough, it occurs to me that when I get to the bottom of the page and have completed my article, the cursor will still be blinking. I'll be finished, but the cursor won't. It'll just keep blinking away asking for more even though I'm done till I turn off the computer. I guess that is the eternal, infernal nature of a cursor - to blink!

If only I could learn to accept that last statement and quit worrying about it. But I can't. Its blinking keeps urging me forward. The cursor speaks to me, "More. More. Write more. You're not done. You're not finished yet. You may care that you write something meaningful, but I don't. I'm doing my job, blinking away. Now you do yours,"

Well, the numbers in the lower right hand of the computer screen say "Page 1, Line 9.16". Ha ha ha. That means I won. I'm done, while the *#@^ cursor has to keep on blinking.