Looking for the Good Life

Hello, dear friends!

I read Randy Alcorn’s “The Good Life” this morning, and it hit me like a good kick in the pants. Alcorn wrote:

“Jesus calls us to do something radical: love others by giving away our money and time. That sounds like loss, not gain. Yet in God’s economy, that’s exactly how we can expand and enhance our own lives.”

You can read the rest of the article here.

Those words hit me hard. I may not have a lot of money, but thanks to my early retirement due to cancer, I am blessed with plenty of time. And what am I doing with it?

Resting and recuperating—while in remission, my immune system and asthma make me extra-susceptible to colds, etc.; and upper respiratory infections are my biggest asthma trigger. The two combined mean when I come down with a virus or the flu, I may be sick for as long as four to six weeks.

Reading—lots of online reading about Christianity, history, psychology, writing craft, and the arts; fiction—favorite authors, new authors, and working my way through Peter Tremayne’s Sister Fidelma mystery series; The Bible, and, less so, non-fiction books on the same topics as my online reading.

Catching up on taking care of my home, when I am not ill.

Trying to clean up the messes I made when I started to reorganize two rooms in my house right before I got diagnosed with cancer. Try how I might, my office and my guest room are still utter chaos. (Although last week, I got almost my whole desk cleared, before I came down with another cold.)

Visiting with friends and family—not nearly as much as I wish I could.

Trying to get back to writing fiction—I’m trying to practice the DTLC 15-30 minutes a day of writing.

Feeling frustrated—because I want to draw, and paint, and embroider, and maybe even do some mending (don’t even ask how big my mending piles are), but I injured my right thumb (I am right handed) last summer and pain continues to be the result of trying to do any of these things.

Yet, that still leaves plenty of time to blog if I would make it a priority.

Nearly a year ago today, I committed to resuming this blog, then got derailed in the course of a highly stressful summer—my poor husband’s turn to be ill.

However, Alcorn’s post was a wake-up call.

I may not have a lot of money to give, but I do have time.

One of the greatest joys of both my teaching career and long history of participating in writers’ groups was the opportunity to encourage, students and colleagues.

And this blog is a place where I can continue to do that.

I am struggling to resume a creative life; I am committed to a reading, writing, creating lifestyle; and I know I cannot be the only one.

God has given me a heart to encourage others, and I want to encourage you.

And so, today I obeyed the summons.

So happy Halloween, Thanksgiving, All Saints Day, Christmas, New Year, and Valentine’s Day, and any other holiday I missed!

I am your apologetic, still questing friend,

Debby

P.S. Ha! Ha! Boy, do I need to update my picture!

P.S.S. What are you feeling called to do? How can I help you do that? Use the comment space below to let me know.

***Bird/Envelope/Border images, Graphics Fairy

P.S.S. Sorry for the crappy first image. So far, I can’t figure out how to get rid of it while still keeping the full image below the title. However, I want to get this post up, so imperfect is how it must be.