Writing Just In Case: An Introduction to this Blog Adventure

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2017 is almost upon us and with this New Year comes many changes, God willing. I think we can all agree that 2016 was a rough year; I know it was for my family and me, in more ways than one. It was draining (both physically and emotionally), depressing, and just downright hard. The blows just kept coming, one after another, just when you thought it couldn’t get worse, bam! Another hit came, Illnesses, hospital runs, breakdowns, fighting, and everything in between. Let downs, dead ends, and brick walls kept showing up at every turn, making it impossible to make any headway towards a better life and a brighter future. But, with the darkness and hard times came a good deal of light and good times. The darkest times in life are very good at showing us what is truly important, what the true pleasures of life are. Ultimately, it is indeed the little things in life, the small pleasures that truly make a life rich and worth living. Late night chats about life with a sister, unplugging and going on a short camping trip, rallying around each other during the rough periods, the quiet support of friends, jokes, laughter, and a baptism scattered in between made life bearable. Those little moments (or big moments in the case of the last one) are gifts from God, little life preservers thrown to us when we’re drowning. The light always drives out the darkness in the end, sometimes it just takes a while.
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My hope and prayer for 2017 is that it will be quieter, healthier, a little easier, less chaotic, and that we’ll all be able to achieve a few goals and dreams, or at least make a good start at it.  I’m not someone who generally makes New Year’s Resolutions, but I’ve made a few for this coming year. Some of the resolutions on my list are fun, creative, easier ones, ones that I know I can at least get a good start on and achieve. Others on my list are more “long-term” goals, ones that I can get a start on and work on through this coming year, but probably won’t fully achieve by the end of 2017 (but who knows?). After 2016, I feel that I need a rest, a very long rest. I feel the need to recharge, step back and reassess. My hope is that we all get a much needed rest and an easy year!
 
All of this brings me to why I’m starting this little blog (Yes, I tend to be long winded, I’m sorry!). I’ve always felt compelled to write, be it stories, blog posts, long statuses, you name it. I’ve written for several different blogs in the past, and still write for a few now. I also write stories, and hope to write books someday, though I don’t feel that I’m good enough yet. For the last year or so I’ve felt compelled to start my own blog, to just share my musings. I’m not sure why. I’ve talked myself out of it a million times, telling myself “why bother? What could I possibly say that would interest people?” or “Do you really think anyone is going to read your stupid little musings and thoughts?” or better yet, “Who would be interested in your life?” All are excellent questions and good reasons to not go through with this blog. But while still going back and forth with the idea, I listened to Miranda Lambert’s new album, The Weight of These Wings. The first song on the record is called “Running Just In Case”. For some reason, one that I can’t even explain myself, the song really spoke to me. I liked the title “Running Just In Case”, it seemed really cool to me. The hook line in the song is “It ain’t love that I’m chasing, but I’m running just in case”. That line may not seem much like poetry to others, but it struck me. We do a lot of things “just in case”. We look both ways before we cross the road “just in case” there’s a car coming because we don’t want to get hit. We wear lifejackets when in a boat “just in case” we fall overboard. To make a ridiculously long story short, I decided to write just in case someone actually wanted to read this. I may not find anyone interested in reading my ramblings, but I’ll write them just in case I do.
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I recently came across a quote by John Green that explained writing excellently: “Writing is something you do alone. It’s a profession for introverts who want to tell you a story but don’t want to make eye contact while doing it.” I’m extremely introverted. I claim that without any shame. I express myself and share best when I’m writing. If I want to tell someone how I feel, I write to them. I don’t call them or seek them out face to face because I’d just end up choking up and not being able to talk due to severe shyness and social anxiety. So I write. I hope that I don’t bore you and that you may be able to take something away from my writings or at least find them amusing. So, without further ado, I bring you Writing Just In Case. It’ll be a mixed bag, featuring posts with content ranging from fun and breezy to deeper stuff. Whatever takes my fancy. ;) Ultimately, Writing Just In Case is a blog about a young woman trying to navigate through faith, life, and everything in between.