Writing Lite

Last week a friend of mine, Jules, mentioned writing lite. I thought if there was a description for my writing, that expression would sum it up. But then again - maybe not.

I love to write for children. Smiles on chubby, little faces, and the idea of tiny hands holding a copy of my book bring joy to my heart. I want to giggle like a second grader when an idea for a poem comes to me. A great deal of hard work goes into every poem - as any children's writer will attest. It may look easy, but just as much work can go into an eight-line poem as a 1200 word article. So even though the end result is lighthearted, it's not really writing lite.

So what would it be? Well, if I eat something 'lite,' the tummy still feels a bit empty. In fact, I forage for something more substantial to satisfy my insides.

I suppose lite writing would fall into that same description. You read. You feel empty. What was the point? Then you hunt for something more substantial - something that satisfies - especially if a spiritual hunger has your insides gnawing.

Writing lite has its place, to be sure. Sometimes you just want a little snack. A little diversion. Junk food for the mind.

But we need to eat the meat, the great spiritual truths, or as Matthew Henry's Commentary says, "Those that are babes, unskillful in the word of righteousness, must be fed with milk; they must be entertained with the plainest truths, and these delivered in the plainest manner; there must be line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, and there a little..."

Although we are all babes in Christ to begin with, I want to be a fully-grown, mature adult spiritually - someone who passes on the milk and delves into the meat of the Word.

The Apostle Paul told the Hebrews (Hebrews 5:13 Amplified Bible), "For everyone who continues to feed on milk is obviously inexperienced and unskilled in the doctrine of righteousness (of conformity to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action), for he is a mere infant [not able to talk yet]!"

At times, we may all 'write lite' - sometimes for the sheer fun of it. But when I have someone over for dinner, I want to serve a nourishing, filling, and satisfying meal for the body. When I sit down at the keyboard to write, my desire is to write words that do the same for the soul - at least most of the time. Sometimes I do need to lighten up - that's when I write about a pet named Salami, and a woman with a "Buggy Brain."

So tell me...in your opinion, what's 'writing lite?'