I love blogging. I love that it keeps me connected with friends near & far, past & present, in such an easy and fun way. Not to mention it gives me such incredible insights into their souls! I have learned so much about the people I love and people I'm becoming better friends with through the blessing of blogging. There is so much wisdom to be found in their words! I chose six posts that really stood out to me this year, and selected a quote from each one to whet your appetite. If you have not already visited these folks' pages, grab a tasty beverage, sit back, and enjoy. You won't be disappointed.
1. Jen's writing is always amazing, but I found particular joy in this post,
Days of Awe. Here's a quote:
God has a big box of sticky notes waiting for me, I know. Just because I haven’t wanted to listen, that doesn’t mean that He doesn’t have things He’s been wanting to tell me.
2. Brie sees beauty in the everyday. Right now she's living in the Big Apple, and I'm enjoying the opportunity to live vicariously through her as I read her blog. I loved this post,
hitting the mark. In it, she says,
the good news is that the coach is the best around, and he doesn't give standardized tests. he has the time, energy, and support from the Upper Administration to craft specialized tests for each player, designed to reveal what's lacking, challenge to a higher level, and reward where the hard work has paid off. He's good like that.
3. My friend Pam is serving the Lord and the people of Nicaragua. She's about halfway through her assignment. I love to read about what she's doing, and even more about how it feels to be wholly used of God in the mission field. This entry (
introspection) made an impact on me.
... a deeper part of me recognizes that this cloak of stability and "normalcy" that I cling to as a future dream is not a full answer to my desire to find a place where I truly belong.
4. Jenny wrote a post entitled "
siblings" about her children that really touched me.
And I wonder how we cultivate transparency, understanding, love, and REAL friendship among our kids.
5. My brother in law, Bob, wrote
this post after he visited us in our new town. I thought it was something special. I put a copy of it in Eli's baby book for posterity.
The first thing you will notice about Eli is his eyes. I feel like me and Eli bonded in the way only an uncle and a 4 month old nephew can. To ensure our bond he made sure to mark me with his industrial drool.
6. Jan describes her first marathon experience so well, you feel like you're right there next to her throughout the entire thing. If there was ever a blog post that inspired me,
this one is it.
I tried to embrace everything as it unfurled...not really knowing what to expect. I did not expect the pain nor did I expect the power of whispered words from fellow runners..."Come on. Just a little further," words that were repulsive coming from the crowd of on-lookers, but full of hope and promise when spoken from fellow participants. I did not expect it to be an act of worship....
And one more shout out, just because I thought it was so funny. Read
this, then
this.
And although I've enjoyed coffee on occasion in the past, I now find myself craving it daily. It's just a really nice thing to have around. It doesn't have to be Starbucks, either. For two weeks after Eli was born, Dave & my mom were making daily trips to our neighborhood WaWa, where they GAVE AWAY free coffee at any size from the hours of 4-7 p.m. We took advantage of that. I think that's how I began to like coffee more than I used to.
And I could eat at Little Rosie's every day. It's our own little tex-mex haven, where REAL FRESH HOMEMADE tortillas are made on the premises! That's a huge deal for me. The building is even painted pink, just like my Taco Cabanas of yore.
