Au Revoir

My, how time flies when you’re having fun.  I looked back at my first post to this blog and found out it was July of 2005--almost ten years ago.  And, with just a few exceptions to repeat a classic when I was out of town or had writer’s block, I’ve pretty much had something here every single week.  In most jobs after ten years you get three weeks’ vacation.

I started the blog with the intent to discipline myself and exercise my writing muscles.  I think it’s worked for the most part.  It has certainly trained my mind to plan ahead.  Sometimes I’ll be in the middle of some ungodly catastrophe involving liquids covering my shirt and dripping down my elbows and the thought will come to me “Hey!  I can put this in the blog!”

I kept this blog up through working for Presbyterian Disaster Assistance to help with the Katrina clean-up and rebuilding, I wrote while evacuating from another hurricane, I wrote through breast cancer for God’s sake, and the weekly posts gave me what I needed to write my first book. 

I think it’s time for a rest.

Summer is starting to look busy.  I have Grand Camp in June, three different week-long retreats in July, a reunion of PDA staff in August and a bunch of other summer stuff like keeping 23 acres mowed and praying for tomatoes. I need to fix a zillion typos so we can publish a second edition of my book and I also wonder if I have another book inside me begging for attention. 

So, I’m going to stop posting on a weekly basis for a while. If the Holy Spirit shows up on my doorstep and takes over control of my keyboard I’m not going to deny it a platform.  But I’m also not going to feel obligated to put something out here if my brain goes blank.  The time for discipline is over for a while.  I’m going to put my imagination and energy into youth retreats this summer. 

I really do love the act of playing with the words when the message is screaming to break through as though I am the only one who can tell the tale.  I love to re-arrange the sentences and change words around.  So I’m not going anywhere for long.

Most of my readers have started watching for a note on facebook before they check my blog.  So, if I do post something you won’t miss it.  And if you don’t see anything for a while rest assured my energy has gone into a different, equally worthy endeavor. I plan to resume weekly posts when it feels right.  For now, it “feels right” to take a sabbatical and listen to God for a while. I’ve spent a lot of words yakking about being still and it might be time to take my own advice.

When the French say "au revoir" they aren't saying "goodbye" the phrase translates as "until I see you again."