The leaves are turning, I saw eggnog on the shelves at the grocery store yesterday, and we are ready to start carving pumpkins. The time for flip flops and morning coffee on the deck is gone for another year, but cozy dinners by the fire, and hot cocoa have arrived.
Seasons of change have come to A Saturday Evening Post as well. I have been blogging a lot about de-stressing, I realize I have too much on my plate. I combed through my schedule and prioritized what I really want to accomplish in my life. Call it a midlife crisis, I recognized I have a few years on this earth, and I am through half of them. What do I want to do with the other half of my life?
With this train of thought, I started making a mental list of what is important to me. My husband is endlessly supportive, my kids, my church family and activities, my kids schooling, and my writing and my home, my job is something I am passionate about and so that made the list too. Something had to go. I took a long hard look at my blog. I couldn’t put the time it required, and I was neglecting so much to do it. I felt like that little boy trying to keep all the frogs he caught in his pockets. He kept catching more frogs and thought he had pockets full of frogs, but the truth was he couldn’t hold them. When I wrote that story, I knew I was writing about myself. (The link to that story; https://asaturdayeveningpost.com/?p=1282 )
I put down one task to pick up another, and before that one is done, I have three more I am trying to accomplish. I needed to let a few frogs go, because the truth is I don’t have that many frogs anyway.
I did what every writer should do who prioritizes God and family over writing.
I started a new blog
I have invited 5 other writers whom I respect and admire for their ability to write, and the balance they maintain in their lives. I am excited to put a new twist on an old hobby and learn and grow from them and with them. I hope together, we can produce a product that will enrich your walk with Christ.
From this experience I hope you might consider the following: what are you passionate about? What keeps you from it? Many teachers are frustrated with the school system, but they love their work. Medical personnel, who are frustrated with infrastructure, but they love helping people so much they put up with being unhappy. What is keeping you from being wholly satisfied with the things you love to do for God’s kingdom? Is there a way to tweak and fall in love with it again?
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10
It is a bit emotional for me to let this one go, it’s like letting go of an old friend. I have grown and learned so much writing for ASaturdayEveningPost. However, I am also optimistic for the future. You have all stuck with me as I learn and grow, like watching a little fawn learning how her legs work.
Please visit me at http://mustardtrees.com/ The first post will be October 31.
Signing off,
ASaturdayEveningPost