My New Home--Corrected!

For the few of you who didn't figure out below where the link to my new blog is, I now live over here...

southeastcountrywife

If you're a little technologically-challenged and/or you struggle to remember to check back, take the easy way out and enter your e-mail address in the Subscribe box in the sidebar of either blog. Each new post will then land effortlessly in your e-mail inbox. :)

I'm Moving...

...not homes but blogs!

I'm switching over to Typepad. It's not nearly as cool as Blogger for design but it offers other options which, at this point, are more important to me.

I'm keeping the same username (will still be southeastcountrywife) and this blog will stay open.

One thing about Typepad which will be handy for my regular readers is that you don't need to have any kind of user account (Typepad, Blogger, etc) to comment. You just need your name and e-mail address. If you don't have a website/blog, ignore that part because it's not compulsory.

I'm just off to fiddle with my feeds. Hopefully, all those who are subscribed by e-mail and who subscribed via FeedBurner won't have to make any changes. It SHOULD be easily transferrable by me. Anybody, however, that subscribed by just typing in my blog address will have to add a new link. If you find any problems with my feed, PLEASE COMMENT ME so that I know!

A House Is Not A Home Without...

...books!!! And lots of them! :) (And other things, too, like people--but we're just talking about books right now...)

So for you people who have wanted to see my bookshelves, there they are. I love them almost as much as I love my books. :) Aren't they lovely?!

They are 7' x 4'!! That's a lot of shelf space--and it's nearly full (plus that's not q-u-i-t-e all my books, but almost). Number 3 might need to be my Christmas present to myself (after my fridge problem gets solved and frees up #3's spot on the wall).

Some people don't like bookshelves and/or having their books out in the open but I LOVE it. I don't feel like I've truly moved in until my books are unpacked. When I finally got my books out of storage, I felt like I was reunited with old friends. :)

For those of you who know that my wall got dented when the guy moved the shelves in, I won that battle and the repair job was finished today! Actually, it wasn't a battle at all. I think the lady I reported it to was quite shocked. I would imagine the mover-guy was too--that'll teach him to think twice before he hides it next time. I'm sure he thought he'd get away with it because there was only a woman at home. It would have been a pretty costly mistake, too, because the entire wall had to be repainted as they couldn't match the paint *exactly*. Anyway, it's done now and I am VERY GLAD that I said something!

Today Marks The Day...

...that this little guy turns one! He is cute beyond words. :) This picture was taken at the end of February so it could be a little more up-to-date but the cameras were clicking so furiously tonight that I'm sure people will have bucket-loads to give me! Hasn't he changed?! :)

Something New

Sorry about the quiet around here. I've had a bit of stuff going on lately and blogging has slid to the backburner!

I started back at TAFE today for the first time in about 5 years! For that whole time, I've wanted to go back and finish my "Certificate III in Financial Services (Accounts Clerical)" but there's been many and varied reasons why it hasn't happened until now.

The past week leading up to this, I've been semi-terrified about this step. I'm not at all bothered about TAFE as I've studied there a few times and am quite a fan of that method of learning/study. However, it's the first time since Steve died that I've stepped back into an unfamiliar and confined social environment consisting only of strangers and I had to do it alone. That was a huge step for me!

I had some wonderful people praying for me leading up to this and I am happy to say that, not only did I do it, but I did it well! That is a huge hurdle and I am so stoked. :) On my drive there, I was just praying that God would "hold me together" and Laminin popped into my mind...if you watched the link in that post you'll know what I mean when I say that thought gave me some comfort that I'd be all right. :)

I have a fantastic lecturer and I had spoken to her about my apprehensions and got the most beautiful response and understanding. I have been very blessed to be so fortunate there.

Much Truer

A good friend of mine just sent me the following twist on a classic quote:

Time wounds all heels.

I got a chuckle out of that. It is far truer than the original...

Who Would Comfort? (Part Two)

(I got on a roll writing the last post and these two together were all in one!!! I decided that it was a leeeetle bit big hence this second part...)

One of my worst nightmares would be becoming a person who handed out platitudes and pat answers. One would wonder how that could happen to somebody who's walked through hell but I have seen and heard of people who still don't "get" it--and I don't "get" that--so I don't think I'm immune. I try to remind myself that feeling helpless in the face of somebody else's pain actually isn't a bad thing--if you let it be a reminder that you don't have all the answers and THAT'S OKAY!

Somebody e-mailed me yesterday saying they needed some of my "words of wisdom" because breathing was just feeling too hard. If I had the option, I would have just given her a hug and said almost nothing. Given that she is across the other side of the globe, I didn't have that choice. I was half-terrified in writing her back. I don't have the answers and anything that may be an 'answer' for me still has to be wrestled through to become an 'answer' for somebody else. Answers to the hard questions don't come secondhand!!

I just said what I remembered of what it felt like and the thoughts I had (so she would know I could relate) and how being a little bit further down the road of healing impacts that thinking and starts feeling different. I try to remember what I needed most and one of the biggest things was the validating of my pain and my journey and my efforts which may have seemed small to 'normal' people but were bigger than Ben Hur for me to accomplish. When you wonder if you're going crazy, you don't need criticism. You need to be told that what you are experiencing is normal but that it won't last forever. You just need to know that people are there for you, no matter what, for as long as it takes. And you need freedom to take the journey at your own pace.

Thankfully, what I wrote was what she said she needed to hear. I can't express my relief at finding out that it helped! Amazing support doesn't dilute the pain...it just helps to pull you through one more day of what seems like a never-ending hell. I well remember the pain being so bad that I just wanted to die. Suicide could easily become an appealing option. I believe that we will have to answer to God for that choice (so it wasn't really an option for me) but I totally relate to why people choose it. I just know how easy it would be to contemplate it and, if I can connect with somebody in a way that helps them, it means that option becomes less likely. Suicide is NOT the answer but neither are platitudes...just help them keep breathing. Sometimes, it's all that can be managed but, one day, they will begin to crawl...then stagger...then walk (I think this is me)...and hopefully even run--and then you can let go of their hand.

They'll probably love you forever and then turn around and help someone else. :)

Who Would Comfort? (Part One)

I had a bit of a revelation earlier. It's been a beautiful day and I was walking around the corner to my friend's kids' front lawn "shop" (incidentally, I was their first customer and maybe their hero for the day), thinking about the book that I'd been reading and finally finished (great book, by the way).

I know the whole concept of going through bad things in order to comfort others. Truly, if I have to go through crap, I'm glad that I can end up actually helping others who are just starting their journey. It's encouraged me no end of late to receive e-mails from people being helped. Some of these are from blog readers; others are from one-on-one correspondence.

However, of course, when I'm going through those same times that end up enabling me to help others, I just wish I could be exempt. As others, I have often wondered why people who do the right things don't get a pass on living through hell. Why DOES "the rain fall on the just and the unjust"? Seems pretty stinkin' unfair to my short-sighted way of thinking.

If Christians were exempt, I could get out of going through bad things in order to comfort others. However, if Christians WERE exempt, where would that leave unbelievers in relation to comfort? We Christians can get pretty obnoxious when we think we've got it all together and being exempt from tragedy would probably create a whole lot of Christians like the handful that everyone who's been in my shoes could do without!! And seeing as God desires a relationship with all those who still don't believe in Him, I guess that would create quite the barrier...

I wondered if that little thought process fell down if one considered that no tragedy on one side would probably make a whole lot of converts in a hurry. However, given that perspective is often lost in the middle of pain, I think it still stands up. :)

Rain...Water

While we're talking about rain, I might as well mention that I got a rainwater tank installed last week. This is worth mentioning because it is quite the source of excitement around this household. :) It rained that night and so it was instant service!

People who interact with me a lot know that I have a passionate hate of the water in our town. It is absolutely disgusting, unless you like drinking chlorine or anti-bacterial solutions. Living on the farm, our house was hooked up to rainwater (with bore water as a backup)--can't beat it for drinking and hair-washing. :D Moving into town, I really miss it. It's one thing to suck it up as far as hair care...it's another thing entirely when sucking it up means you taste it!!

I have a legendary friend who sneaks around my house doing jobs for me when I'm not looking (and when I am, like with this one). I can't say how much I appreciate his keen observation skills and generous volunteer service. He has his own family (who all bless me beyond measure) and large yard to look after, yet he often tacks my "guy jobs" onto the end of his extensive list--without being asked and even when I'm out of town!! I am thankful beyond words for some of the ways he's helped me out. He's a bit of a 'hero' of mine (as was Steve, though not just a "bit"). Hopefully, one day, somebody will come along and sweep me off my feet again and they won't be likely to want to share the title of "hero"...but they'll find there's a truckload of jobs that go along with it. :)

Rain!

Today, I'm thankful for rain. It smells great and is such a welcome sight! Not such a fan of having to go out in it a minimum of three different times today but I don't suppose I'll melt. :P

I just got back from picking up a friend at the airport and, while it was raining a little before I left, it bucketed down on the way. I was gone less than 45 minutes but, by the time I got back, it was like entering a different town!

The road at the bottom of the hill up to my friend's place had flooded gutters as we headed in. By the time I headed out (5 mins later!), the whole road was flooded over!! By the time I got to my house, I was very thankful to have a remote control for my garage door. :)

I have to say, though, that my newer area obviously had more storm water planning than the older area adjoining it--nice to know!

Beautiful, beautiful rain...