It has been nearly a month since I have posted on here! Wow! Where does the time go? It really does sprint past in a flash if you don’t pay much attention.
Just look at the year of which we find ourselves…2020!! I thought this only happened in the movies.
2020! Today I was engaging 3 of my kids about this year and I said, “Remember when we all thought it was crazy weird when we hit the year that was “the future” in Back to the Future? Well, we have FIVE years past that now!”
How crazy!
The days and the weeks and the years seem to get faster and faster. The last month of Advent, Christmas prep and then celebrations took hold and I just got tangled up in the business of it all and I also got tangled up in trying to keep up with Instagram. I’ve found that it really is difficult to keep both venues going strong at the same time. I do enjoy Instagram. The “instant” connection with others in comments and feeds is, well, instant gratification. The blogging world doesn’t see that kind of activity any longer. I think some would say it’s too slow. I’ve been doubting myself and wondering if I should even continue but my heart has kept pulling at me. I started KindlerofJoy.com nearly 2 years ago with great excitement and vision. And as I have been thinking through my goals for this new year of the future I have realized that the vision and excitement is still very much deep in my soul. I still yearn to kindle joy as St. Seraphim has inspired me to do. I still deeply desire to seek and find the beauty in this world within the ugly and mundane and the difficult as well as in the altar of the wilderness.
For Christ is Risen Every Day and we absolutely live in an altar!
These goals continue from 2019 into 2020! I love them. They fill me and give me purpose.
I came across an Instagram post with just the challenge that I needed to get myself back on this wagon of blogging. Melinda Johnson at MelindaJohnsonWriting.com has created an awesome challenge called #bloginstead! She has asked bloggers to join in her 3 day challenge to follow each other and only write and post on blogs for these three days, letting go of social media in any other way. I have hopped on board!
I was struggling to get myself back on here and now I found the kick I needed. Thanks, Melinda!
So for three days I’ll write and post and read blogs and interact with some amazing writers out there! I’ll create a blog roll for my side bar in the next 3 days to share with others the great blogs I’ll be following.
Here is my favorite photo so far this bright new year! Taken in Georgetown, TX on New Years Eve! What beauty God has given us!
Let us “look up” to see Him all around, to take notice of His gifts He gives us daily in the trees, the sky and the people that come our way.
Have a blessed day!
Kindler of Joy! 
First, I LOVE St. Seraphim, and I’m glad y’all are friends and that you’re writing. Second, I went to college in Georgetown, TX. What a beautiful place. I used to love to walk to the San Gabriel where those old steps lead into the washing hollows. Looking forward to reading more during #bloginstead!
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St. Seraphim has been such an inspiration to me!
We were visiting Georgetown over the New Year holiday. I don’t much about it. But I love the big beautiful sky! I’ll have to ask my friends about the San Gabriel and the old steps next time we are there! I’m excited about #bloginstead!
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If you go back when it’s not scorching hot, a visit to the river is worth it!
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It’s nice to write and think a bit more…rather than just scrolling!
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I agree!! Nice to have you here. We are old pals from a previous blogging life! 😉
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I always admire your joyful spirit (this your blog title:) Thank you for writing here. Blessings!
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Thank you ever so much for your kind words! This “spirit” is very much a work in progress each and every day. This blog and writing has helped me a lot! I have to work hard to find the good and the beautiful and the lovely. As Philippians 4:8 instructs us to do.
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Several people have told me they needed some impetus to make them go back to their blogs, and it strikes me, I think we all have that feeling we’ll be alone when we get there. Social media is the world now. But if you take friends along with you, you won’t be alone!
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Thank you for beginning this #bloginstead! It is lovely!
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Thank you for joining!
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I’m looking forward to reading more. Do you ever feel like it’s difficult to use Instagram in a healthy, faithful way? I am always feeling like I get into a good place, but then (typically when I am low), find myself sucked into it in a way that distracts me from the beauty of my real life. I’m always curious to know how other people intentionally use it in a way that is good and faithful…
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Glad to “meet” you, Amanda! I struggle sometimes to even know what I ought to be doing with IG. I thought I’d try to make it an extension of the blog but the last several months have proven to be very difficult to do that. It seems like it needs to be one or the other. My personal IG account was easier. It was more like a journal of our days. My photo album of my life with my family. Sometimes I think I try too hard or overthink things. Which…distracts me from the purpose and the beauty of my real life, as you said!
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Susan, i enjoy your energy, honesty and positivity. You are inspiring me to continue the journey. Like you, I hadn’t written in a month, not because I didn’t want to write, but just because of the busyness of the season. This early 2020 time has been slow and calm and I’m liking the restoration and rejuvenation that is coming from calming down, listening, praying and reading. I look forward to reading more from your blog.
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Thank you for your sweet words. It makes me happy that you sense those qualities on this blog. This early 2020 has been pretty chaotic for me but I endeavor to find the good! Glory to God for all things.
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Oh my goodness, I started reading your post and got to the part about the altar of the wilderness and nearly screeched because that was (sort of) the concept behind the name of my blog! Communion and joy uniting us on the altar… what a wonderful thought! And it isn’t even just a thought, it’s actually possible…
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I wondered about that when I saw your blog name. Fr. Stephen Freeman has a chapter in his book “Everywhere Present” which is titled “We Live in an Altar”. I read the book last summer at the height of the hiking season and have completely fallen in love with that phrase and the idea of it. Walking outside in His creation and particularly learning to look up have been key for me. Thank you for sharing. I look forward to reading your blog.
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Seeing this a day late! I guess when I put your url in the blog reader it didn’t “take.” Well, I’ve fixed it now!
I agree with everything you’ve said. In fact, I could have written this myself except that my blogging started in 2008 and my hiatus has been longer (10 months since regular posting). I too am glad for the “kick” to begin again!
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It is nice to be “back in the saddle”. 😉 I’ve found myself being able to relate to quite a few of the #bloginstead people.
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