Who Erased the Chalkboard?

I'm in a funk.

As you can see from the date of the last post, it's been six weeks since I added anything to the blog - and it was something I had written three years ago!

I'm definitely in a funk.

There used to be a time when my mind was overloaded with topics to write about.  Even if I had nothing to say, when I sat down at my computer the words always came.  But for the last couple of months, I feel as though a giant eraser wiped away all the ideas I had stored in my mind for future posts and has left me with only chalk dust where words used to be.  If I squint my eyes really close, I can almost see the white impressions of words on the black surface.  I said, almost.

So, who erased the chalkboard?  I could blame someone else, or other things that have put me in this funk.  But I know that would be a lie.  There's only one person to blame...

Me.  I erased the chalkboard.

The question that has been plaguing me for the last month is this:  do I assume that all I have been given to say has been said?  And if I do, do I delete this blog and concentrate all my energy (what energy I have left, that is) on the other blog I administer for a missionary in Malawi, Africa?

I have come up with all kinds of excuses for doing just that, and they really are pretty lame.  Such as:  what have I really got to say, anyway?;  there are others more learned and more eloquent than I am;  my readers are few and far between and rarely, if ever, leave a note to let me know they've been here;  my word-well has gone dry...to name a pathetic few.

When I went back over that list of excuses, I realized that I had my hand on the doorknob to a pity party, a place that I would venture to say most bloggers go when they reach this point of vacancy.  I often visit others' blogs who have come here to see what they're all about, and take note that the last thing they posted had a two or three year "past pull" date on them.  But the thing that strikes me most is that they haven't given up.  They may not be writing new posts, but they are still there and they are searching the blogosphere for inspiration; or perhaps for that fleeting glimpse into a place unknown to them at the time, but waiting for them to take a brief journey there, hoping to find whatever it is that has caused the void in their lives.

As I pondered the option of deleting this blog, other questions kept rising to the surface:  what if God still has more for me to say and that I'm too willing to just give up?  What if this brief lull in inspiration is only a time-out for my over-taxed brain and grieving heart over the world's antics; preparing me to once again sit down at the breakfast table and grab my old notebook (the paper kind I used to use), pull out my pen, and let the Holy Spirit pour words onto the pages?  What if that lone visitor He's been preparing drops by and spends a few moments reading what's here on this blog and discovers that special Someone who can fill that void in his or her life?

It's certainly something to consider while I'm in this funk.

Maybe I ought to squint my eyes a little tighter and see what's still slightly visible on my chalkboard.  I haven't yet taken a wet rag to it and there are still outlines and images of words  that are hovering there to share with those who stumble onto this blog.

I think I'll stick around a little longer.  You never know.  The worst that can happen is that I'll find myself encouraging empty space and air.  But the best that can happen is if what's written here is meant to stay on the board and bless a wanderer who drops in.

If that happens, then every agonizing moment of frustration over being wordless will have been worth it.

And God will have all the glory.

See you next time.

Just A Note

As many of you know, I have two blogs.  The second one, Wongani's Hope, has a new post, the third installment of Beka's story.  I hope you'll take a few moments and visit it.  If it's your first time there, you can read the whole story to date by scrolling to the bottom of the page and working your way up.

I am praying that Beka's mission will touch your heart and that you will become a "Follower" of the blog.  Please leave a comment, too, so that Beka will be encouraged by your support.  She's an amazing young woman and the LORD is doing marvelous work through her.  We would also love it if you would share this blog with others so that others will pray for the children of Malawi.

Thanks for taking the time.  Beka and I both appreciate it and we know you won't be disappointed!

In Christ's and Beka's service,

Karen

A New Project In the Making...

Hi, everyone!

Once again, I'm finding other things taking me away from posting on the blog.  But this time, the reason is a good one.

Last May, my husband and I were blessed to be able to hear a presentation given by Beka Feth, a missionary to Malawi, Africa.  Since then, the LORD has moved in amazing ways, demonstrating to us that the work she is doing is of His own making.  He's also encouraging me and others to become involved in that work.  Not in Malawi, but here in the States.  It's been a reminder of how gloriously long is His arm!

Without going into details right now, I just wanted you to know that I am creating a blog for Beka and will also be administrating it, too.   God has impressed upon me an urgency in getting it up and going, thus the reason this blog is temporarily suffering.  Once it's up and running, I am confident that He'll give me the words and the time to service both blogs.  Until then, however, posts here will be a tad bit infrequent.

There's plenty of stuff to read here.  As I encouraged you the last time I found myself without the time to keep the blog fresh, look over the archives and "Labels" because I'm sure you'll find things you've never read.

When all the finishing touches to Beka's blog have been made, I'll share it with you here on this blog.  As I said above, God is doing amazing things through her in that tiny nation, and I know you'll agree.  When you see and read about her journey, I hope you'll all become "Followers" of the blog as we watch Him transform the people in Malawi through Beka.

Until then, stay tuned into this blog!  I sincerely appreciate your visits and promise to keep it focused and centered on the LORD, praying that it edifies, encourages, and strengthens you until His glorious return.

For Christ's honor and glory,

Karen

I'm Still Here!

Once again I find myself trying to balance the summer projects, visiting friends and relatives, chasing after grandchildren, and this blog.  It may appear that my interest in it is waning, but nothing could be farther from the truth.  I'm still here!

I usually try to post something new at least every three days.   Although I have many new ideas rolling around in my head, even some titles in the draft file waiting for inspiration, there just aren't enough "quiet" moments without interruptions to complete them.

So, if you are looking for something to read, I'd love it if you searched through the archives under "Labels".  There just may be something there you haven't read in the last two and a half years this blog has existed, or something you did read that you'd like to read again!  Sometimes I go back and read them as if it's the first time.  I hope you do, too, and find what you're looking for.

The summer is coming to a close here in our mountain valley.  It won't be long before precious family we don't see often enough go back to their own homes, 4-H projects are completed and this week's fair concludes, and I am left to wonder what I will do with myself, as is so often the case.  It's been a wonderful summer full of renewal and building memories.  I will cherish each moment that's passed.

Keep checking back.  Those rare moments of opportunity to write do come - once in a while.  Until then, continue to have a great summer and may God bless each and every one who drops by.

In Christ,

Karen

 

"And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed.  And he said to them, 'Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here...' "  Mark 16:5-6, ESV 

 

 

He is risen, indeed!

 

 

Happy Anniversary Counting the Cost!

Psalm 89:15-17

As I was checking my blog this morning, the sudden realization struck me that it is now entering its third year of existence in this vast, seemingly endless sphere called the internet.  It has definitely been a challenge to keep it fresh with new posts that reflect its purpose and encourage readers to come back for another visit.  And when I would think that my limited ability had reached an end to its creativity and my few visitors were bored to tears with repetitious or redundant themes, another idea, another topic would pop into my head and find its way onto this page.

Some of the posts you have read sat idle for a while in the draft file, waiting for inspiration to make them worthy of your time.  And when they were posted, my obsessive nature over editing for grammatical and punctuation errors would send them flying back into the "Edit Posts" stage for a brief moment to be "fixed" so your eyes wouldn't be offended.  Others were so clear and precise in their context and form that they didn't have to suffer through much proof-reading; the spell- and grammatical-check option would gleefully pop up telling me it was near-perfection - and that made me happy.

When I first set up this blog, I added a traffic counter that shows me how many visitors I have had on that particular day.  At first, it was the number of readers who showed up that I was most interested in, and the number of them that continued to "follow" it, or return often to see what else has been posted.  As any fledgling writer will eventually admit if they are honest with themselves, they desire recognition for their efforts.  After all, it's a lot of hard work, and if no one is reading that work, they feel disappointed.

Also, I wanted to see, but seldom did, comments from those who dropped in; their thoughts or whether or not they liked it.  But, it wasn't long before I was convicted that my focus was misplaced.  I needed to return to its original purpose: to glorify Jesus Christ.  I started looking at not the number of visitors, but where they were coming from, what country they lived in, and it opened up a whole new perspective on the possible reason this blog has continued to exist.

I began keeping a list of the "hits" I was receiving outside of the United States. The counter also shows me a map and a URL of the one searching, and I am able to visit their own blogs or websites, if they have one.  How they managed to find my blog is something for which I have no answer, nor is it necessary for me to have one.  Whether by mistake, through a Google image search, the hyperlink I have on my email, a recommendation from another reader, Facebook, or a multitude of other possibilities, they had come.  The most surprising are those who visit from nations that are known for their intolerance and/or hostility towards Christianity: Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Sudan and other parts of Africa, Nigeria, Iran, China, nations from the former Soviet Union, and believe it or not, North Korea.  I would wonder what risk they may have had to take to search the web for a glimpse of what their hearts yearned for.

How wonderful it was to think that the LORD may have led them to my humble blog to find Him.  This thought made it more imperative that I allow Him to be its Administrator, rather than myself.  It wasn't the number of visitors that was important.  It was who these people were that were being directed here, perhaps Divinely so, that became my focus.

Once I placed control back in the LORD's hands, I was encouraged to visit my readers' blogs, if they had one.  Needless to say, the variety of thoughts, philosophies, religions, or purposes I found among them was staggering.  Although I have discovered some amazingly wonderful Christian blogs this way, most of the blogs I find using this method are from Hindus, Buddhists, agnostics, atheists, Satanists, New Age spiritualists, evolutionists, and every other form of false religion or ideology that would pop up on my computer screen.  I must admit that some were received with discomfort or misgiving because of their content and I struggled not to comment on their own posts or, more often, hurriedly left their site.  However, it presented me an opportunity to  leave a rare comment of encouragement or, better yet, to pray for them and to also ask others to pray.  And it delighted me that perhaps they were searching for an answer they couldn't get from the darkness they currently resided in and, instead, found it on my blog.  After all, nothing is accidental or by chance - even if it wasn't their intention to land here.

With another year looming before me and many empty pages lying in wait to be filled, I look to the One Who has faithfully kept this blog up and running for the last two years.  I must be doing something right.  Right?  As long as I let His hands rest on mine that are poised above the keyboard, or hold the pen hovering over my notebook, the words that show up here will be His.  And if you're searching for an answer and He directs you here to my humble blog, as long as you are willing to pause a few moments and read from these pages, you will find the answer somewhere within them.

I would like to extend a BIG "THANK YOU!" to all who have come here the past two years.  Whether this is your first visit, or you return often, my gratitude is sincerely given for dropping by.  I hope that you found what you were looking for, and that you have been fed, renewed, or encouraged by the words that are posted here....and I hope you come back again. 

Oh!  And don't forget to leave your thoughts after you have read what you find here. Just click on "Post a Comment" at the bottom of the post and follow the instructions.  We writers appreciate them more than you think and really do want to hear from you.

To celebrate this blog's anniversary, I will be re-posting from time to time some favorites of mine that were written over the course of the last two years.  It is my hope that you will re-read them, perhaps with new eyes, and that they speak to your heart as they did mine when I wrote them.  Better yet, however, is that I pray we will one day meet when we are all gathered together with the LORD, and that you will tell me you found Him here on my blog.

Until that glorious day, may the Holy Spirit continue to draw you closer to your Savior Jesus Christ, to make you His own for eternity, and to pour out His blessings upon you.

In Christ's Service,

Karen

 

Celebrate with joy, for our Lord, our God, our Savior has come to bring salvation to the world!

Give all your praise to our King Emanuel!

~~~ Merry Christmas Everyone! ~~~

Drat it! Winter's Here!

Well, our beautiful and warm fall days have finally ended.  In one night, we went from having 65 to 70 degree days to a balmy 35 and dipping well below freezing at night.  The first storm also brought with it a couple inches of snow and cold winds.  And the bears are looking for a place to hibernate.  Looks comfy, doesn't he?

So, in honor of Winter and more snow to come, the blog has been given an appropriate seasonal face lift.  I only wish that I, too, could get one...I'm getting too old to play outside in the snow...my old bones just don't handle the cold like they used to...I'm complaining already - and so is my dog. She's decided it's better to hug the heater than brave the outside.  We're fighting for position.

I know we're told not to wish our lives away, but I wish winter was already over!  Here's to a quick one and the warmth of Spring to come - soon!  I can hope, can't I?

(I wonder if that bear would mind it if I just curled up next to him and slept the winter away?)     :o)

Karen

P.S.  The bears may curl up  and snooze through the winter, but I'll still be slugging along here on the blog... that is, if the snow doesn't bury me.  Keep checking in once in a while, will you?  I may need you to come and rescue me.

Oh! And bring hot cocoa...and maybe a few extra blankets...and a shovel...it'd be nice if you would load your truck with some extra firewood...and...

The Suffering Blog!

I thought I should post a quick note to let everyone know that I haven't abandoned the blog.  Last fall, my husband and I bought a boat - a big boat.  Well, at least it is big enough; almost too big because of the requirements to tow it.  But we knew this before tackling such a behemoth and are really looking forward to finishing the refurbishing we began when we got it home so we can get it in the water and enjoy it with our kids and grandkids.

 

My husband, Steve, filled his unemployed time last winter by completely restoring the interior of the cabin and, I might pridefully add, has done a wonderful job.  After removing all the cabinetry and months of sanding the teak and mahogany that literally cried out for help, applying many new coats of varnish, and tearing out the original carpet and upholstery that absolutely needed to go and laying down new teak floor, she is almost ready for her christening and launch.  That is, after we get some outside work completed that required warmer weather and I get done reupholstering the interior. 

I wasn't sure I wanted to tackle such a project.  Mainly because I needed a heavy duty sewing machine to sew the #10 duck canvas I wanted to replace the old fabric with (grandkid-proof!) and I lacked the space needed to roll it out and cut it.  But the estimates we received convinced me that it would be prudent and cost-effective for me to do so!  (Ouch! they were high!)  So to EBay we went for the sewing machine, the fabric was ordered and the supplies I needed purchased, and that's currently where I'm at.  By doing the work myself, we have saved over two-thirds of the estimated cost!  It's a big project, but I am confident I can accomplish it.  My living room floor has become my cutting table and my dining table sports the sewing machine.  It's the moving everything around that's the biggest headache.  Oh, how nice it would be to have a room I could make a mess in and then close the door when I was done!
 
So, bear with me, folks!  I will try my hardest to post new articles as my work on the upholstery progresses.  When I'm done, I'll post a picture of the newly refurbished boat so you can see what we have done.  In the meantime, delight in the Lord and continue the work He has set before you! 

My Ineptness Shines Through!

I recently added or, should I say tried to add, a very useful tool called RefTagger to the blog.  It is offered by logos.com, a Bible reference website.  The advantage it has over Biblegateway is that when you hover your mouse on the highlighted Bible verse I have added, instead of opening a new page, a box pops up containing the referenced chapter and verse.  It provides immediate reference and the ability to continue to read additional Scripture verses, if desired, by clicking "more" in the bottom of the box .

The problem I had was with the "control panel" that was also offered.  This option allows the reader to modify his Bible preference - such as changing the translation from the New International Version to the King James, etc., and to use more information tools from logos.com.   However, there was a separate code that was provided, a "Step 2", if you will, that I have been unable to figure out and determine the proper place to put it. 

The main tool was easy.  Simply choose your preferred translation and add it as a page element to the bottom of the layout.  The second step involved adding the control panel, if you wished.  They provide a code to copy where you want the control panel to appear, then comes the dreaded "Step 2".  They instruct you to "add it to the head section of your page's HTML."  That's where I run into a wall.  When the first code is applied in layout where I want it to be, I don't get the control panel, only a box with part of the information.  AND, not fully understanding where the "head section" of my "page's HTML" is, I guess the wall I have run into is impenetrable at this point!  At least until someone with much more knowledge on the ins and outs of the layout comes to my rescue and helps me place the second code where it belongs!  The box that shows up in the right-hand column does not reflect the image it should.  However, the tool is useable.

So, for now, if you wish to read the highlighted Bible verses in your preferred version, look above "Labels" (inserted between my introduction and "Labels") in the right-hand column.  It will have the heading "Bible Options". Simply click on the version tab to bring up a drop-down box, select your version and click "save".  You are then able to hover your mouse on any Scripture verse that is added to the articles you read here to bring up the referenced verse.  Either that, or go to Biblegateway found in the right-hand column and look up the verse in your preferred version.  Both are valuable tools for referencing Scripture.

If you have any suggestions to offer or know where the "head section" of my "page's HTML" is and where within that section I am to place the code, I would sure appreciate the help.   I am the first to admit I can often be terribly inept when it comes to things like this.  In the meantime, I will keep trying to make your visit a more enjoyable one!

Yep, you're in the right place!  

I got tired of the old look and decided to change the blog's background but, BOY, was that a challenge!  For all you bloggers out there who want to create a welcoming and warm blog for your visitors, I sure hope you had an easier time than I did!

After choosing a new background template from Cutest Blog On The Net, trying to eliminate the old one that kept showing back up, seeking help from my brilliant and beautiful nieces who have been blogging longer than me, reading and re-reading Blogger's and Cutest Blog's instructions, finally giving up on the new one and selecting one of Blogger's boring backgrounds, I had a headache and it was past my bedtime.  I would tackle the mess I had created in the morning and, hopefully, visitors wouldn't wonder who sneaked in while they weren't looking and made a royal mess of things.

I was just about ready to give up when, lo and behold, instead of Blogger's blah background, the template from Cutest Blog mysteriously appeared!  I still haven't figured out what happened to Blogger's background, or the old background you were accustomed to, or how the new one over-rode them.  I'm just glad it's there!  Somewhere along the path of attempting to freshen up the look of the blog and from my perspective, failing miserably, all seems to be well...for now!  Who knows what will happen when I take my eyes off it for a moment!  It seems to have a mind of its own!

So, I hope you like it...because, at this point, it will just have to stay there!  Maybe a few months from now, after my nieces finish educating me on the do's and don't's of background changes, I'll take another stab at it.  I'm still receiving new and useful tips from them as I write this!  Until then, I hope you come back often to visit me.

Oh, and by the way, I love to hear comments, so please leave a note after your visit...and be sure to mention your own blog so I can visit yours! 

Have a great week, everyone!

I am really disappointed that I had to remove the daily Bible verse widget from the blog.  For some reason, its format and translation changed and I didn't like it!  For those of you who enjoyed reading them when you stopped by, I am currently looking for another that doesn't have pop-up ads.  They are so annoying and they draw away from the message that is being given.

Bear with me for a while until I can find a suitable widget to replace it.  I hope it doesn't take long!

In Christ,

Karen