My One-year Journey

It's been one year today since I started this blog. I have obviously taken some vacation days here and there, but I'm getting close to the 365 blogposts that was my goal. This is # 327. Thank you, readers, for joining me on this spiritual journey.

It's been a big faith builder for me to see how all the little things I experience in my day relate in some way to a bigger picture, which includes the whole universe. So many things can teach us lessons of faith. Whether you are a caregiver, a teacher, a parent, or anyone concerned about someone other than yourself, you too have the opportunity to learn about God from the daily events of your life.

I have some ideas for the future of my blog. Perhaps taking Bible stories and seeing how they point to the life and death of Jesus. Or exploring the inside of the temple and seeing how it illustrates the ministry of Jesus as well. These longer stories might be less frequent, but I hope someone will gain a blessing by my sharing of them too. I welcome your ideas.

I promise to keep everyone up to date on Dean's health too though. I'm sure his antics and quips are what keep some of you coming back to my blog from time to time. Dean has always had the ability to make me laugh. That's one of the qualities I married him for. It's what has helped keep both of us going through even the roughest times.

Thank you again for spending time with this blog, my thoughts and ideas openly expressed.

Old Computers

Not sure if my blogposts have been missed the last couple of days. But I've sure missed doing them. The problem is my laptop gave out on me and I'm waiting for someone to check the cooling system (i.e. the fan) to see if it needs replaced or what. Not wanting to use it for fear of overheating.

I'm resorting to plogging away with a clunky, old desktop to write this post. I can definitely type faster than this thing can think. But it's better than nothing, so I'll make the attempt. I'm sure it will get the job done, but with less speed and agility.

To be honest, that's pretty similar to how I work these days. With less speed and agility. Anyone who's experienced shortness of breath can understand my plight. Walking across the room and I sound like I've just come in from a mile-long jog around the neighborhood. And please don't let my body get too close to the floor (besides my feet), because I am not very graceful getting to a prone position from that depth.

I have just talked myself into a new appreciation of this old computer. Even my husband, with his dementia issues, can still get some jobs done. I need to tell him so more often. If nothing, he keeps ME going, because of the activity his caregiving requires. I need the exercise to stay strong.

Maybe I'll use this old computer more often. Praying all the while that God will also use me...til I'm all used up.

Super-caregiver Sister

There's only one kind of stress that equals that of a caregiver that I can think of, and that's the stress of an educator. Especially a teacher in the middle grades. My sister-in-law falls in this category, but she also has the distinction of being a caregiver. I don't see how she copes with all life is handing her right now. Throw in almost an hour commute each way to school and you can see why I look up to her as a super-caregiver. She and my brother both have enormous family and job responsibilities, and I know it can only be by the grace of God that they can make it through each day.

The reason they are on my mind particularly this evening is that today my sister was hurt at school, trying to break up a fight among some students. She's not seriously injured, but will have to wear a half-cast on her left arm till the tendons heal. She was bruised up enough to be sent to the hospital for evaluation. How tedious it will be for her to type and do many of her teaching tasks after this mishap. We're just thankful she wasn't hurt more seriously.

Whenever any of us feel that our life is spinning out of control, it is often only our faith that keeps us going. This is the main theme of my blog. I want people to know that when we are in the middle of trying times, God is there with us. Sometimes it's even easier to see Him then than when things are going smoothly. We seem to lose sight of Him in the good times. But God is everywhere.

And that's why I will never run out of material for this blog. Look for Him in your life. He is always as close as you will have Him.

Blogpost #265

This is my 265th blogpost, so just one hundred more to go for my goal of a year's worth, per my sister's suggestion. Writing this blog has been a great faith builder for me. And even a stress reducer. It is relaxing to sit back in the evening and meditate on what has happened during the day and how I can use that event to make me think about God and the part He plays in my life.

I hope as you read these posts, it has inspired you to look for God in even the simplest happenings of your day. God uses our environment to communicate so much to us, if we will just pause, listen, and learn.

The Bible plays a part in this too. I would not be able to make the connection of my physical life to my spiritual one were it not for the many Bible stories and lessons I've enjoyed over the years. So, I would encourage both Bible study and meditation/prayer as a means of really incorporating God into your everyday life.

This isn't my Bible, by the way, but someone sure has the right idea!

We All Sacrifice

At least two milestones touched me today. First, this is my 200th blog post. Working on a year's worth. At least that's my goal. And I'm enjoying them very much.

But there was another event that topped even that. Dean let our nephew trim his mustache today! Aside from just a couple of snips, I don't think it's seen a pair of scissors for over a year now. Needless to say, I'm ecstatic with his new civilized look.

He and I went to a church meeting tonight. The first in a long time. Just testing the waters...

Thanks, babe. I know you did it for me. That's what sacrifice is all about.

200 to Go

165 posts to my blog! Only 200 to go for my goal of 365--a year's worth. My sister kindly requested this number when I first started writing it. It's beginning to seem a whole lot more possible now that this will be accomplished in a pretty timely fashion--in about a year.

Sometimes the goals God chooses for us seem mighty unreachable at first; but if we take the challenge, it's surprising what we can achieve.

I do hope that the reading of this blog has been an encouragement to others who are facing hard times. Even when circumstances in our life are less than desirable, we can see the hand of God reaching out to reveal Himself to us. It's up to us to see His handprint.

Look for Him every day, as I've attempted to do in the evening when I stop and write this blog. I'm blessed by the effort, and I hope my readers are as well.

265 To Go

Number one hundred post coming up! I actually am beginning to feel like a real blogger. But better than that, I now feel like a writer too. Before I felt like an avid reader, an excellent proofreader and editor, but just a so-so writer.

Having people actually read my blog means so much. For me, it's the time of day when I sit down and contemplate where God was in my day. I hope it has encouraged other people to do the same. For God is everywhere, trying to speak His wisdom through all the everyday happenings in our life.

My sister, who was just miraculously spared in an automobile accident, has an order for 365 blogs, to last a whole year. So I've just got 265 to go. God is so great. I'm sure I won't run out of material. In a year, or in a lifetime. It's easy to write about your best Friend (God) for your best friend (your sister). Get well, my angel sister!

300 To Go

I'm closing the year out with 65 blogs under my belt. My sister has put in an order for a year's worth, so I have roughly 300 to go to fulfill her wish. It has been a great exercise for me on several fronts. First, the writing process is becoming easier. It isn't taking me as long to get to my "finished product"--something fit to publish and post on Facebook for my friends.

But by far the greatest benefit to me has been going over the day's events and finding something there that reminds me of God. It's given me a great spiritual boost, because one quickly discovers that God is pretty easy to find. If we take a little time each day to look for Him. He is ready and waiting at every turn to instruct, comfort, and guide us.

The third benefit I have received from this blog has been the thrill of sharing it. I can monitor the number of pageviews and even the countries where people have at least taken a peek at it. I just pray that each person led to the blog will come away with a little something to cheer them, inspire them, or comfort them. That's my goal, after all. To share the great God I serve, in whatever way He provides..