Man is like a breath. His days are like a shadow that passes away. Psalm 144:4
It is crazy how fast time flies. It has been nearly three years since I last blogged. My life got a bit hectic and writing took a backseat in my life. I started working outside the home full-time doing deed research and owner transfers for a local appraisal district. Sitting at a desk and staring at a computer for eight hours a day made me not want to look at my computer when I got home.
I would berate myself a lot during the past nearly three years for not making writing a priority. I have always wanted to be a writer, but I never seemed to consistently make the time. I am one of those people that, for some reason, everything else takes priority over my own personal goals. So, if there were any farm chores, house chores, family needs, etc. those took precedence. Heck, I am one of those that makes sure the kitchen sink is cleaned before I go to bed. I don’t know why, but I cannot relax if there are things that need to be done.
This anxiety of needing to get things done that I can see or I know about, began when I started school. I was that kid that did not play until all her homework was done because something may come up unexpectedly that may prevent me from getting my homework done. I have no idea why that person can’t put writing on the list of things that need to get done, but for some reason since writing is a dream, not a ‘for sure thing’, it is not a priority, a ‘to-do’ chore, in my brain.
So, what has changed now that I am trying again? A different perspective. I am running out of time. I am getting older. I know that none of us know what tomorrow will bring, and some people live longer lives than others without us knowing why. But the truth is, the one guarantee in life is death of our physical bodies. A time when we rest, waiting for the resurrection. I am not getting any younger. So, I decided to make some life choices for the benefit for myself, my family, and our farm. I decided to stop working outside the home.
First, the farm was suffering a lot with both Josh and me working outside the home. A few years ago, we had our property mulched, which is not cheap, to help open up some spaces. Our place is very much a work in progress. It looked amazing! However, it took us a while to get a better tractor, and then it seemed it rained every Sunday while I was working. It honestly didn’t rain every Sunday, but it did seem to rain a lot of Sundays. So, the maintenance on the property was lacking. Therefore, all that money spent became almost for not.
The mulched areas have overgrown with some evasive hardy shrub in some areas, briars in others, and in the pasture where I wanted hay to grow for our cows and goats, now grows ragweed, dove weed, and another weed that I have yet to identify. Why, because if you aren’t shredding the weeds, they will over-power the good plants that you actually want to grow. Hmm… I believe that is a life lesson.
So, one major reason to come back home was farm maintenance. The other, I wanted to be more available for my family. My daughter and her husband blessed us with a grand baby. A little girl that is full of personality. I love being a grandmother. It is so awesome to hear my granddaughter excitedly scream “Nae Nae,” while running to me with her arms stretched wide. I now understand how GRAND it is to be a grandmother.
Anyway, I really wanted to be available if Jazmyn needed my help babysitting or with any other things. Plus, now Jazmyn and Cole are expecting a son in a couple of months. I know I am blessed beyond measure to be able to come back home and spend time with my daughter, son-in-law, and my granddaughter. I do not take it for granted because there is no telling if one day they decide to venture off and live states away. So, I give God thanks a lot for this time to spend with them.
Oh, while I am updating about my family. Josh and I became empty-nesters in November 2023. Our son, Asher, moved to a small Texas Hill Country town called Cherokee. I can’t believe it has been nearly two years. He at first got a job at a taxidermy/game processing place, and he learned a lot especially a good work ethic. He then was blessed with his dream job of a hunting guide on an extremely large ranch. When they are not guiding, they are working on the ranch with heavy machinery. During all of this, he found the love of his life, Gracie. They got married in May this year. It was a beautiful wedding, and Josh officiated it. First time for everything. He actually did an amazing job. I will admit it is really hard having our son and daughter-in-law living six hours away, but seeing them both happily married and in love brings me a lot of joy.
So, both of our kids had beautiful weddings and are happily married. It is crazy! I do not feel old enough to be an empty-nester, a mother-in-law, and a grandmother. The mirror, however, would disagree with me. Just writing that makes me chuckle.
I had other reasons for coming back home, but another major one was to make time to write, which I have. In fact, I am working on a dystopian novel. It is slow-going, but at least I currently have over seventy pages written. I am praying that I can at least get it written from beginning to end, regardless of if it is worth trying to publish or not. As I have gotten older, I realize that it isn’t about getting published anymore, it is just to successfully finish a book that the whole plot is from my imagination.
My website, I hope, will become another avenue for me to write. A place where I can share things I am learning spiritually, https://composingwebb.com/category/faith-notes/ , and a place here, my Life Blog, where I can hopefully share interesting life tidbits. It will definitely challenge me to pay attention to everything around me because my life on whole is kind of boring most of the time. Or at least that is how I perceive it most of the time. Yet, after writing about some of the changes over the years, I realize it sometimes is pretty amazing. Anyway, here is my hope that somehow my two blogs will make people smile, laugh, inspire, hope, edify, just do some type of good to others. If by chance, writing is a gift from God, I want to use it to do good. I sure hope this is a talent from Him because without Him, I can’t do anything.