When I was in either 2nd or 3rd grade, I discovered I was creative. In my school in New Jersey, our teacher told us to go out in the hallway. On the walls of the hallway there were pictures on posterboard. Our teacher asked us to pick out a picture and write a story about it. I chose the picture of Joe Namath, the famous New York Jets quarterback. Another time there was a picture of a horse. I wrote a story about a talking horse. I was so into the story that I kept writing it during class. My teacher noticed I wasn't paying attention and said to me "David, stop writing your story about the talking horse and pay attention, please!" Let's just say it was one of a very few times I was corrected in front of my class! That same teacher told my mom during the Parent/ Teacher Conference that I had a gift. A gift of being creative! When I moved to Long Island, the creativity continued. I was always thinking of ideas. My Mom always tells the story of my 5th grade teacher. She told my mom "David is a nice boy but he is always staring out of the window and daydreaming!" Maybe back then I was thinking about how I would be doing ventriloquism with an old guy named Grandpa Lou about 25 years later!
When I was in high school, I was looking at many options for college. I originally wanted to become an author. I had dreams of being a bestselling author and "Living the dream." I loved to write but my grades were not so good in school so getting into a university or State College was a challenge. Then at a youth camp called Couriers Camp the Lord called me to fulltime ministry at one of the altar calls. I applied to various Bible Colleges and entered Northeastern Bible College in 1982 with hopes of becoming a Missionary. In my first two years I was on staff with the College newspaper continuing to use my creativity. Two years later I found myself joining a puppet ministry only to discover I would become the director of it at college. I won't repeat the rest of the story. All I can say is God had and has a calling on my life. It was my privilege serving at SGT as the Children's Pastor and continues to be my pleasure serving now at Lift Jesus Higher Fellowship as an assistant pastor. I love thinking of new ideas, writing this blog and working on new stories.
So now that you all know my creativity history, let me share about 2024. I would like to work very hard in getting a lot of my stories published. I set a goal many years ago that I would like to get my children's book ideas published. I do have one children's book published in 2009 but was not happy with the publisher. The book was entitled "Mouse Mayhem." There are two options you have in publishing a kid's book. You can either go with a traditional publisher which requires hiring a "literary agent." The other option is to have your materials "Self-Published" which may be cheaper but distributing it can be a big challenge. I have a lot of ideas for kid's books and in 2024 I want to really work out that creative muscle that I began developing as a 2nd grader! Not only with my writing but also with my ventriloquism and children's ministry ideas. I have an idea I am developing using PVC pipes and making a stage that will look like a box. Stay tuned! I also have a new ventriloquist figure Red Heartly, a heart puppet who will come out of a black bag.
So the creative muscle will certainly be flexing in 2024. Just like I try to go to the gym to work out my muscles, 2024 will be a year that the creative muscle will be worked out. Stay tuned and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
