thursday thoughts

It seems impossible that I have been blogging for one whole year...my Blogiversary was September 21st.

Blogging has changed my world:  I've learned to pay more attention to the "ordinary days" of my life; I have met some wonderful people in the virtual community; I've been inspired to create new kinds of things.  I have been encouraged in my spiritual walk. And I have been challenged to put into words what has been brewing in my heart.

Yes, blogging has been good for me, but I am cautious of the need to balance my life.  I do not want to slip into the wasteland of blogging about life but never getting around to living it.  I have decided it is better to share only what one is living and not to live in order to blog.

I want my blog to be a picture of my life as it is, not what I want others to think it  is...sometimes this is difficult because everything just seems to look better on a computer screen.  As I once shared in a Christmas newsletter, "A picture may 'speak' a thousand words, but mainly as we long for life to conduct itself--smiling in posed perfection. I don't recall ever running to get the family camera to snap a picture of an angry, jealous, or impatient encounter or a face screwed up in grief, do you?"

Because I want to be real, I will share with you today an agony I journaled about in my quiet time this morning:  "I am backslidden--my tongue is loose, my thoughts often false, my inner life disordered."  I despise loose tongues spewing out thoughts that have not been carefully sifted through the Word of Truth and taken captive to the obedience of Christ.  Tongues dirty with negativity...complaining...criticizing.  I sense the need to meditate on His Word more. 

One common word I have been mulling over lately as I have lived out the mundane demands of each day, is the word PRIVILEGE.  I am privileged to be able to cook a meal for my family...I am privileged to be able to walk...I am privileged to be able to see...I am privileged to be able to live in a comfortable home.  Consciously thinking about this has allowed me to step into routine activities and experience the deep satisfaction I sometimes foolishly seek, but rarely find, in outward forms of pleasure and entertainment or expectations I have of other people.

The other day my mom shared with me a thought she heard recently:  Focus on TODAY and THAT DAY [that we will stand before Him].
I like that TODAY and THAT DAY...lifechanging...

The picture we get is always framed in the viewfinder, isn't it? So how's your view today?

Those are my thoughts this autumn Thursday...thanks for listening.

Comments

[Stacey]

((Hugs)) Continuing to strive to be closer to Him is what we should all do. I have just started an online study where we will be reading the majority of the Bible in 32 weeks, with discussion, and I am so excited to get in there and really dig in. I'm a little intimidated as well, but you are right... being in His word, studying it, memorizing it, and meditating on it is the best thing.

[clarice]

Congradulations Debi on one year. Thank you for doing such a beautiful and thought provocing blog. So many of your post speak to me (even if I do not commet). Also thank you for your openess and honesty. I hate negative people but I so struggle mysef with being negitive. Thank you for your blog Clarice

[aggiejenn]

I appreciate so much your honest and desire to be real. We can put forth whatever we want on these blogs and whose to know our lives aren't really that way? I think it's important that we don't try to come across as though life is perfect because it never is. Thanks again for inspiring me!

[Randi]

You are so right about the picture we put forth on our blogs. On one hand, who wants to read about all of my troubles, but on the other hand, I don't want to show an image of perfection. Hopefully, we can all find a balance in this area.

Thanks for being so open with your struggles, Deb. I have simialar struggles and it is encouraging to know that someone else is in a similar place. God is, and will always be, faithful to see us through!

[Debi D]

Stacey, Clarice, AggieJenn & Randi--
I appreciate all of you and your encouragement and the reminder that it's really all about HIM!