The Simple Woman: In The Spirit of Auld Lang Syne

Dear friends,

As I sit and write this letter to you in long-hand, (something you can add to the lamenting list of things slowly falling from the table of life's goodness), I am reminiscing and listening to my wood-wick candle melting to it's near end. I am reminded of things now past and pondering over things yet to come.

My last post was in June of this year and I stood at the starting gate ready for the bell to sound. I had planned to start down the track to keeping my blog going once again, but no sooner did I begin again that my burning flame quickly began to wax cold.

Over the past 20 years, I've found myself with the same old familiar love/hate feelings towards the internet, "social" media and all the rest surfacing again and again. Turns out those feelings may have been warranted, as I began putting together a long two-part post of my own personal findings.

They are linked in two parts HERE and HERE with the title, The Riptide of Technology.

But, truly at the end of the day, I have simply lost the desire that once had found a permanent place in my life. Now, I am slowly, but surely returning to the mind-set I had before opening the big box in 2001 and listening for the sound of dial-up.

No, we can not return to everything that has been lost, but living a small, quiet and simple life full and brimming with contentment and joy fades the present culture that we are currently living.

So, with that...this will be my last blog post (with instagram and facebook very soon to go as well) and I will end it as only the simple woman can, with a daybook entry, shared in the spirit of Auld Lang Syne.

For Today

Looking out my window

smoke curling from our chimney against the back drop of the clear night's sky

I am thinking

how freeing to finally be sure of clicking "send" on this post

I am thankful

for all of you who have followed, commented or been touched by something I've written here over the years.

(not all of my posts from the past are here, but they are all in notebooks for safe-keeping)

One of my favorite things

my lilacs from last years bush

I am creating

a new sewing/craft space

I am listening to

Joy in the Morning

I am wearing

for the treadmill-black leggings, white tee, and my favorite black Skechers

I am reading

and studying the Prophets in depth along with my daily devotional from Crossway by Paul David Tripp, entitled Everyday Gospel.

And these beauties are all waiting in the wings just ready for a hot cup of tea and time to sit. I have been gathering for awhile :-)

~Into His Presence

~Turning of Days

~A Year of Living Simply

~Reclaiming Quiet

~Unrushed Living

~5 Puritan Women

I am learning

aging is just the beginning of life

In my kitchen

the smell of steamed shrimp to celebrate a fresh new year

In the school room

still creating homeschool packets and gathering books for my Sammy

In my garden

as always after a good growing season the garden rests waiting for the plow and seed packets come April.

Quote

this quote is very dear to me written by Puritan John Owen

"If you have any regard to the constancy of your faith, to the comfort or your life the honor of God, or the salvation of your own soul, labor immediately to get your belief of the Word better founded. Read the Scripture constantly, study it seriously, search it diligently, hear it explained and applied by others, meditate on it yourself, and beg of God an understanding of it and a right faith in it."

A moment from my day

I took this as I came home from running errands yesterday. I was praying over my word for the new year, rounded the bend and had to stop and capture the moment.