Hi everyone! Here I am, back again, blogging. It feels odd to be sitting here at the keyboard, sending my thoughts out into the ... well, into wherever it is that blog posts go. My last post was about 3 months ago, just before Christmas. For 2 months I did nothing much: just recovered from the last 3 years of over-doing things, spent time with my family, and settled 2 kids into pre-school and high-school (okay, so that kept me pretty busy!).
During those 2 months I picked up nothing more challenging than a novel (and my Bible). But about a month ago, tired of feeling bruised and battered, I prayed for healing, and woke the next day feeling energised and hopeful. I'm reading Christian books again. I'm teaching Sunday School. I've been dreaming about ridiculously ambitious writing projects.
I'm still not sure how I can best serve Jesus in the long-term. This will be a quiet year, as my husband has long-service leave, and we're planning to rest, recover, reflect, and re-connect with our kids (4 R's!). But I'm starting to realise that writing is part of how God has made me. So I'd like to keep blogging, for now, and see how it goes. You'll notice a few changes:
- I've changed the look of my blog to make it more readable and usable (tell me what you think!)
- I may take another break later this year, to spend time with my family
- I'm planning to blog less regularly and systematically, at least for now (less exhausting for me - and for you! - and I've discovered I like reading those kinds of blogs anyway).
In other words, I'll dip my toes back in the blogging water, and see where it takes me - and you. It's good to be in touch again!
27 comments:
We missed you! Thanks for coming back!
Trying to sound cool and not give away the fact that I'm jumping about doing the happy dance. So good to have you back, Jean. Oh, best news of the day!
Great to have you back Jean. Occasional blogging sounds like the way to go!
I just discovered you today! As a tired and somewhat discouraged Christian mother of two, I appreciate the encouragement I've already found here. I'm looking forward to reading more! Thanks.
Great to have you back, Jean! The new look is nice, especially the green.
Welcome back! I like the new look :)
Looking forward to reading you, being inspired, again.
Thanks for the encouragement, friends - and welcome, Amy! :)
Love the new layout - much easier to read and I like the tabs across the top to find things. Glad to see you online again!
Excellent!!
Hi there Jean,
Glad to have you back, but glad to see you have made some changes.
Would you believe Heather says the same? She's sitting here in my lounge room in Santiago :-) I'm soaking up the wise counsel.
How about that, Joanne! Say hello to Heather for me! :)
Welcome back. I am so glad that you have decided to start blogging again. I have really missed your thoughtful, interesting and, at times, challenging posts over the last few months.
May God continue to use your blog to His Glory.
Happy Blogging.
Linda :)
BTW I like your new template.
Hurray! I love getting your posts in my email. You have such great insights on things... I am always encouraged. I like your new blog layout too. :)
And the blogging community rejoiced. Hooray!
Very nice new look. Now, about those very handsome tabs...how did you do that?
Mxx
Thanks for all the encouragement, friends. I truly appreciate it.
Meredith, on tabs (aren't they lovely?! Thanks to Nic for the idea...) -
Open your blog, sign in, and go to the post editing page (under the "Posting" tab). There are 3 options at the top: new posts, edit posts, and edit pages. Click on "edit pages", then "new page", and add whatever pages you want to appear under your tabs (the heading will be the tab name). I think the blogger template adds the pages as tabs automatically but I'm a bit hazy on that bit. You can change the look (and layout?) of the tabs in Template Designer. Try it and tell me how it works!
Thanks for coming back Jean. I'm always encouraged by reading your stuff. I'll pray for you now.
cheerio
Sally in WA
(you don't know me, and I don't know how to sign in, unlike my techy blogging friend Meredith)
... and I like how your headshot looks like it has Inspector Gadget arms reaching down to the laptop at the top of this page
Sally
Hi Jean,
I enjoyed reading your blog before you took your break and am glad you're blogging again (in hopefully a more easy-going way!). I appreciate your honesty, which so aptly characterizes your writing. Just keep reading and meditating on Ecclesiastes. :)
Thanks Nic for the inspiration.
Thanks Jean for the instructions. (Too easy!)
And thanks Sally for describing me as "techy". That would be a first!
Glad you are back. I don't read everything you (or anyone else) blogs, but at times your writing has been profitable to my soul. I will always be indebted to you for introducing me to the Sons of Korah!
Amazing....you have been dormant on my feed all this time and I hit your blog and here you are! Fabulous. Praise God...bc I have just suggested to a whole lot of women to read it.
Welcome back, Jean! We all missed you and look forward to hearing from you as you see fit :).
it is lovely to have you back.
Fiona
Welcome back!
Yay! Jean, so lovely to have you back, and so encouraged to hear it was good rest. Praying for a really refreshing year for you and the family.
I'm late to the party but delighted to see you here again! Glad to hear you're feeling more energised and hopeful too. Will pray that the year continues full of the 4 Rs.
Like the new template too.
Bec
Welcome back, Jean! What a pleasant surprise when I logged into Google Reader today :)
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