It is time to write this blog entry. Five months ago, I couldn't have imagined writing it. I knew there were going to be challenges and changes. I wanted to be able to write that I was wildly successful. I wanted to be able to tell you that I had written a book that would be coming out soon. I wanted to be able to tell you that I'd lost 50 lbs. There were other things I probably wanted to be able to tell you. In terms of what I hoped to accomplish, I can't say it was a successful winter. Since this is a blog about walking by faith, I hoped to be able to report miracles or at least major growth in that area. I have always placed the success bar higher than was reasonable.
I did join a writer's guild and I am working on a second novel (the first having been put aside until I can solve the major problem in it.) I lost 7 lbs. I joined a choir. I moved this blog from a "once in a while" blog to a daily devotional/contemplative blog. I set myself with the tasks of intercession for the residents here and anyone else who came to mind, and redelivering newspapers. Those aren't goals I would have set before coming down here. Now I'm wondering how to take those things to Erie.
As for miracles and great growth, I can't make any great claims. The closest I can come is that Dad was sure the one jack for the motorhome was stuck in the dirt. When he flipped the switch, it came out of the ground. The brakes that had been "drained" and had not worked in years worked last time he tried them. The odometer on his bike which was dead all winter came to life last time I rode the bike. The only thing left is for the motorhome to start tomorrow morning and continue running until we get it to storage. And, it seems as if we have extra space in the car going home (at least so far.) Perhaps more important than all those things, I made some new friends and discovered that given an opportunity, I can actually enjoy being nice. The growth, such as it was, has been in the "small things."
Perhaps the biggest of the small things I've learned is that I can do this. I can survive here, and under these conditions. It's not always easy. It's not always pleasant. It's not always well, but I can survive and even enjoy (parts of) it. Since I don't know how long this migratory phase of my life is going to last, that's a good thing.
Since I will probably be spending the next couple days on the road, and then have to arrange to get an Internet connection or go somewhere with a WiFi, I apologize in advance for any disruptions in my postings.
I did join a writer's guild and I am working on a second novel (the first having been put aside until I can solve the major problem in it.) I lost 7 lbs. I joined a choir. I moved this blog from a "once in a while" blog to a daily devotional/contemplative blog. I set myself with the tasks of intercession for the residents here and anyone else who came to mind, and redelivering newspapers. Those aren't goals I would have set before coming down here. Now I'm wondering how to take those things to Erie.
As for miracles and great growth, I can't make any great claims. The closest I can come is that Dad was sure the one jack for the motorhome was stuck in the dirt. When he flipped the switch, it came out of the ground. The brakes that had been "drained" and had not worked in years worked last time he tried them. The odometer on his bike which was dead all winter came to life last time I rode the bike. The only thing left is for the motorhome to start tomorrow morning and continue running until we get it to storage. And, it seems as if we have extra space in the car going home (at least so far.) Perhaps more important than all those things, I made some new friends and discovered that given an opportunity, I can actually enjoy being nice. The growth, such as it was, has been in the "small things."
Perhaps the biggest of the small things I've learned is that I can do this. I can survive here, and under these conditions. It's not always easy. It's not always pleasant. It's not always well, but I can survive and even enjoy (parts of) it. Since I don't know how long this migratory phase of my life is going to last, that's a good thing.
Since I will probably be spending the next couple days on the road, and then have to arrange to get an Internet connection or go somewhere with a WiFi, I apologize in advance for any disruptions in my postings.
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