Blog Sabbatical

Ok, so it has been at least a year since I have posted anything on this blog. And I won't lie...year 2013 -2014 was probably-no DEFINITELY- the hardest year I have experienced in my 33 years of living. We have been through more in that year than I have ever faced as an individual, a wife, a mother, and a follower of Christ. It has been a year of grief, letting go, admitting my limitations, accepting the "new" normal,  but also of God showing Himself to us. His faithfulness did not come in the doses I was hoping for: assurance that I am a rockstar mom, or that I am growing in character in specific areas I struggle in, or that the people closest to me really appreciate me, or in precise answers to questions that have plagued me the entire time. But He has shown up in other ways and for that I am thankful.

Through adversity, I began to taper down. I began to commit to what was really important. And "being present" with the people I love was part of that. That meant not having my phone on me all the time. That meant not answering a call when I was already spending time with someone. That meant not posting on Facebook much to check what everyone else was doing and fishing for "words of affirmation" to make myself feel better. It meant being intentional in the relationships that really meant something and not investing in trying to spread myself so thin. It meant a conscious decision to write an email or letter to one person or check up on one friend rather than put up a status that would change within the next day or so. It also meant letting go of the blog and just trying to maintain the daily task of appreciating the age of my kids and writing down their quotes for myself. The blog became one more obligation on my to-do list rather than a joy. It became one more measurement of how I couldn't keep up.

So as much as I would have loved to keep up the blog, I felt it most important to just cling to the basics: loving my kids and family with intentionality, going deeper in the relationships that mattered, and not seeking others approval via social media. I took somewhat of a blog (and even Facebook) sabbatical if you will.

My roommates' blog has reminded me that I need to blog for my own sake (not to impress people with projecting myself as perfect or only posting the lop-sided experiences where parenting is pure bliss and where marriage is synonymous with complete validation), but to remind me of how important it is to process my life. To speak truth to myself and have others speak truth to me. To have record of my thankfuls and also a spot to save my photos if our computer crashes!!!

Here is a link to her blog:

http://andrewandnaomi.blogspot.com/2014/09/f-and-g.html

Thanks, Naomi. I am hoping to find joy in blog-writing and that if it ever becomes one more way I compare myself to others or look for approval, I will run from the blog and cling to Christ as my purpose and meaning.