Verses to Remember

From birth I have relied on you; You brought me forth from my mother's womb. I will ever praise you.

Psalm 71:6



Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Welcome!

Well, I've finally done it! For many months now a few different friends have suggested repeatedly that I start a blog. I think it's because I have so much to say, and they want me to have another outlet besides them... :) But for whatever reason I have taken their suggestions to heart and am, finally, starting a blog of my own.

Starting a blog seems sort-of normal to me because I am a journal-writer. A journal-er, you might say (not to be confused with journalist!). I have been keeping a journal for many many years, starting back in high school I believe. I go in spurts, sometimes writing pages at a time, and other times not opening a journal for weeks or even months. What I love about journalling, however, is that I can look back, days or even years later, and read what I was thinking about, dealing with and pondering at that point in my life.

I particularly love seeing the ways that God was working in my life at any given time. I cannot tell you how many times I have looked back at a journal entry and been amazed at the way that God has worked in my life since then. Sometimes it is in specific ways when he answers a particular request, but most of the time when I look back what I see is that, even though I didn't know it at the time, God was already working in me and in my circumstances. Hindsight is 20/20, they say, and by keeping a journal I have a record of all the times that God, in his amazing wisdom and love, has stepped down into my life and brought about blessings and answers in ways that I did not even comprehend at the time.

Now, by keeping a blog, not only can I look back at my life and see the ways God was working in me and in my circumstances, but so can you! I am always encouraged by seeing and hearing the ways that God works in the lives of others, and I hope that in this way my blog can be a blessing to you! I know that God is working in me, and that he has his hand on every aspect of my life, even if I don't necessarily sense it at the time. This blog is one more tool I have to remember and to share those blessings with others.

And just in case you are starting to think that my blog is going to be all serious and full of deep thoughts, I want you to know that I am also really excited to have a place to discuss the fun and frivolous parts of life, sort of a cyber-girl-time.

Since I got married I have been living on my husband's family's farm, which is out in the country and keeps me much more isolated than I would normally choose. Buuuuuuut I do think that giving our (future) kids the opportunity to grow up in the country and have tons of room to run and play and get in all kinds of messes and scrapes...is worth it. Some days I have to remind myself that it's worth it. And then there are the days when I must keep reminding myself that it is worth it...

Days like the ones when I wake up and the first thing I smell as I step out of our bedroom is a lovely eau de skunk from the family of skunks who has decided to bunk up under our house. Or days when the washer overflows the too-small drain sink and floods the entire floor of the laundry room. Or days when I realize on the way home that I am running low on gas, milk, bread, or any of the other necessities of life, and must turn around and drive back "to town" in order to pick it up, since there are no gas stations, grocery stores or, sadly, coffee shops out by our house.

But then, right when I am getting so fed up with the inconveniences of living where I do, I drive home and pass 3 deer walking in the orchard alongside my driveway. I see the view of Mount Hood from my front yard, hovering in the sky above the small pond filled with ducks and the long green pasture with beautiful pine trees bordering it. I hear the sound of the creek-fed water fountains, masking any noises from surrounding civilization. So...maybe I'm pretty lucky. I don't know, what do you think? Sometimes we get so fed up with the small irritations in life that we are blind to the benefits of our specific situation, benefits that are so obvious to everyone else.

Enough rambling for now, and I hope that you, like me, will try to keep your eyes open to see the benefits and blessings that are all around. Until next time, take care!

2 comments:

  1. Yay for your first post friend!! Well done! Looking forward to reading about all your "baby steps". :)

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  2. Welcome to the world of blogging! I'm excited to read about your life and all that you have to say :)

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