wordy wednesday (part 2)

It's been exactly one week since I had my little blog-meltdown, and seriously considered giving the whole thing up. One week to think about my priorities, and how I choose to spend my time. One week to read the comments left by sweet friends, and really consider their advice.

And today is a new day. I realized that I am not striving to be super-blogger, super-mommy, super-woman or super-anything. I am just a girl (er......woman) who is doing the best she can on any given day. Trying to create a life that is meaningful, memorable and God-centered.

I have thought a lot about what I want our life to look like. Some days I reach the mark, and other days not so much. But I keep going. I keep waking up, asking for guidance and strength, trying to be the best woman-wife-mother-daughter-friend that I can be. I keep making lists. I keep reading books. I keep dreaming dreams. I keep asking questions. I keep searching for inspiration. I keep writing. I keep making mistakes. I keep on keepin' on.......

I really like blogging. I know it's not for everyone. I know it can seem self-centered and self-important at times. But my goal has always been to bring light to the good stuff that happens every single day. I am still finding my voice, still finding my way on this journey, but I am grateful for every single word I have written here (and in my journals and scrapbooks and on pieces of scrap paper).

I've loved writing since I was a little girl. I've loved taking pictures for as long as I can remember. But somewhere along the way, I started listening to the voices that said writing was for "those other people", photography was too "mathematical," I am not an "artist" or one of those "creative types." But you know what......that's all just a bunch of hooey, and if I buy into those lies for one more minute, then I only have myself to blame. It takes courage sometimes to do the things that you love when those around you may not understand or approve. It takes courage to do the things that you love even when your inner voice tells you you aren't as talented as "X,Y, or Z" or "A, B, or C" for that matter. I want to be courageous. I want my daughter to be courageous. I want my son to be courageous. I want to teach them to follow their hearts and to spend their time doing the things that expand their JOY.

Blogging brings me joy when I allow myself to be authentic......when I write from the heart, share photos that make me smile, and refuse to focus on what someone else might think or how they might interpret something I have said. So that is my plan. To keep on keepin' on. To write when I feel like writing. To unplug when I feel like unplugging. To share what I feel comfortable sharing. To continue praying that this will be a space that not only feeds my own soul, but hopefully someone else's as well.