Behind the scenes (for a really long time)...

I have been doing this blog since May, 2013. There are, in fact 842 blog posts that have been read an astonishing 74.1 million times, by people in more than 26 countries.  I never expected that people would read these posts and I never expected to see this blog still happening in 2022.  I have never really shared exactly how and why this blog even came into being.  So, I think it is finally time to share a deeper view into the last more than 9 years.  It is time to finally admit to the world (and myself,) "I am a writer". 

Several years before the beginning of this blog, I had thought about, talked about and considered writing.  While not that unusual, it was really out of my "wheelhouse" - not something that I had ever thought I would do.  In the 1990's and early 2000's I had spent time creating curriculum for children's programing that had proved to be quite successful.  One of my pastors at the time, had encouraged me to try to get some of this material published.  However, during that season of my life, I had neither the time or the money to do that.  I love to read and have spent much time with a book in my hands.  Many a night I didn't get enough sleep because I just couldn't put that book down!  Some of my earliest memories are at a public library.  I had my own library card at 6 years old!  Something that was not common in 1960.  While I loved books, I really didn't consider writing one.  

Soon after my mom died in 2011, I had a very vivid dream in which my mom appeared.  She gave me a golden tray with a pen on it and she said "You must write it".  This was the first dream I had about my mom since her death and it was very real.  I had been kicking around the idea of starting a blog (which was very popular in 2012) but I just couldn't arrive at a catchy name for my blog.  After several months of trying to figure out a name, Gwen told me "Just start the blog under your own name!  Who cares what it is called!"  So, I obediently set out as a new blogger.  In those early years, Google was sharing blogs opening across many platforms and I suddenly had readers from all over the world.  It was an encouragement to continue to put my thoughts, my ideas - my life into these blogs.  They became a diary of sorts, that I knew would be passed on to my grandchildren and that seemed like enough reason to continue  to write them. 

The idea that there was more to the writing than a blog, never left me.  I started to feel that the story I needed to write was about my grandparents - my mother's parents.  Because I really didn't have much information about them or their early life, it seemed to me that it would be a fictional story based on their life.  So I sat down at my computer and suddenly the pages were filled with words.  When I closed my computer that first day, I had no idea where it would lead me.  The next time I opened that document, I was stunned to read the words that I had written. And the outline of this story just flooded my mind.  However, it just seemed like some kind of silly thing.  Really, who actually writes a book? Certainly not me.  I wrote a few pages, here and there.  I would open the document, read a few pages, write a couple paragraphs and then close the document.  Gwen has never stopped encouraging me to keep on writing. I certainly needed that encouragement.  

Last Thursday I was invited to dinner by my distant cousin Dave Anderson and his wife, Carolyn.  He and I connected several years ago through a family Facebook group.  Due to Covid it has been years since we have talked.  At our dinner, Dave was excited to share with me that he had been thinking that possibly I should write a book about our common family - my dad's parents!  He had no idea that I was currently writing about my mom's parents.  

So, here we are now in 2022.  I have the first part of a three part book, mostly written.  I have begun writing part two and part three.  In the last few weeks, additional book ideas have more or less fallen into my lap.  I have begun to get serious about writing, joining some writing groups and registering for conferences.  I have been thinking about who might read the book I am writing.  I have been considering what should be added and subtracted from the words already on the pages.  Not many people know that I have been writing a book.  Very few know the story line of these writings.  But it seems very real to me, all of a sudden.  Now, you all know!

Behind this entire writing project is the sure knowledge that Jesus is in it all.  It was a prompting from the Holy Spirit, that even had me considering writing this blog.  I knew that I wanted to share the amazing way that Jesus was living and active in and through me.  The very idea and story line of this book was a revelation of the Holy Spirit.  One thing is certain, for reasons that I can't understand, I am a writer.  Over the next few weeks, months and (most likely) years, I will need to keep reminding myself, I am a writer!  

Jesus, thank you for your plans and purposes for each of us that you have had since before we were born.  Holy Spirit, help us to be open to the ways you choose to use us, even when they seem so out of possibility.  Jesus, you are a God of the impossible!  Thank you for continuing to provide the nudges that we need to fulfill your plans for us.  Give us courage to walk out these plans without fearing what people will think.  Thank you for your love and care for each of us.  Amen