Well, almost two years have gone by and this is really the first serious blog post of any kind. This whole website idea started because I was moving a few hours away from my brother and it was a way for us to stay connected while still sharing the many things we love and have in common. Now I live a couple thousand miles away from my brother, have two children and teach full time. Things change, distances between loved ones grow greater, but as the wise elf, Haldir, of Lothlorien said, "In every land love is mingled with grief."
No matter where you are in life, both location and stage, there will always be difficulties mixed with blessing. Sometimes one outweighs the other for a time and sometimes you have to fight for the one in spite of the other. I am convinced, and not begrudgingly, that there is no greener grass on the other side, moment of arrival or time of got-it-all-together in this life. This side of glory I don't think there is suppose to be. So, I embrace changes and the difficulties they bring along with it because I know it will be that way no matter what, because in every land love is mingled with grief. Had I stayed in Bellingham, love would be mingled with grief; had we stayed in Wenatchee, loved would be mingled with grief; and now that we are here in Alabama, love is mingled with grief.
There are many things represented on this site that I do truly love and enjoy. In recent days I have noticed that these things have been slipping from me. You have to be intentional about enjoying God's good gifts. Isn't that ironic? You would think that one would naturally find oneself doing and enjoying the things one loves to do and enjoy. But unless I am intentional about picking up a sketchpad and pencil after the kids are in bed, or picking up my guitar to sing my girl to sleep, or setting aside a few dollars here and there from my teacher's salary for that single malt, or setting time aside on a Saturday to homebrew, then they don't seem to happen. It is also harder when you are trying to enjoy them by yourself. Which brings me back to the true purpose of this virtual meeting place. So let's start again for the first time. SFE
No matter where you are in life, both location and stage, there will always be difficulties mixed with blessing. Sometimes one outweighs the other for a time and sometimes you have to fight for the one in spite of the other. I am convinced, and not begrudgingly, that there is no greener grass on the other side, moment of arrival or time of got-it-all-together in this life. This side of glory I don't think there is suppose to be. So, I embrace changes and the difficulties they bring along with it because I know it will be that way no matter what, because in every land love is mingled with grief. Had I stayed in Bellingham, love would be mingled with grief; had we stayed in Wenatchee, loved would be mingled with grief; and now that we are here in Alabama, love is mingled with grief.
There are many things represented on this site that I do truly love and enjoy. In recent days I have noticed that these things have been slipping from me. You have to be intentional about enjoying God's good gifts. Isn't that ironic? You would think that one would naturally find oneself doing and enjoying the things one loves to do and enjoy. But unless I am intentional about picking up a sketchpad and pencil after the kids are in bed, or picking up my guitar to sing my girl to sleep, or setting aside a few dollars here and there from my teacher's salary for that single malt, or setting time aside on a Saturday to homebrew, then they don't seem to happen. It is also harder when you are trying to enjoy them by yourself. Which brings me back to the true purpose of this virtual meeting place. So let's start again for the first time. SFE