Goodbye to the old, hello to the new

I have a friend that has chosen to close down her old life in the wedding industry and open a new door.  She and I both have a passion for writing and I've been so encouraged by friends to pursue what I've always just considered my pressure valve for letting off steam:  writing.

I am working on a book, nearly done, and already I have three or four other things in the hopper to work on.  I really don't want to go back to doing the same thing I've been doing for 12 years in the wedding industry.  It's exhausting and takes time away from my family.  I cannot begin to count the hours I've lost with my family because there was always work to be done.  I came home from church yesterday and remarked to my husband about how nice it was to be able to take my time cleaning up and getting a few things done so I could sit down and work on the book.  For years it's been, "Hurry home, throw something together to eat, and then sit for 12 hours working on envelopes."  While it's been a good way to stay home and be with my family, it's taken a toll and now I'm ready to turn over a new leaf.  I will never completely leave it behind, but the work I've done on the Quaker Marriage Certificates has been so rewarding.  I will focus on those and keep a foot in the door.

But writing!  I so enjoy weaving things together to share a story.  To touch someone's life, to speak encouragement, to educate someone--what an incredible gift that is, both to the reader and the writer.  Computers have completely revolutionized it so I can literally write a book and publish it from my laptop.  I wonder how many people over the years had really worthwhile things to say yet their subject wasn't considered relevant by a few that sat in an office high up in New York.  We can now take our words to any number of websites and in a matter of days have those words reach millions.  Amazing.

So, my "office" will now be this laptop and I can write wherever I want on whatever I want and know I at least have a fighting chance of those words reaching people.

My teens were some fun years, working hard, planning for the future.  My twenties were hard, although I became a mother for the first time and I'd have to say that was one of the best things ever to happen to me, becoming a mother, heartache and happiness, every bit of it.  My thirties were difficult, but I found the love of my life and gave birth to another precious child.  My forties have been challenging but oh! the wisdom I've gained!  I wouldn't trade my wisdom for anything.  I have one and a half years left of my forties and I'm looking forward to seeing how I can wrap up this decade. 

But my fifties--now, that will be a sight to behold.  With each new decade new opportunities have come along and I do believe this one, should the Lord tarry, will be one of my best so far and on this keyboard I pray I can capture it all. 

Join me for this new adventure!