Things I Do to Stay out of Trouble

Apparently my Easter sabbatical needs to be over. A couple of people I had no idea read this asked me what was happening here and when I would post again. I guess I have six readers instead of the four I thought I had.

But their remarks got me thinking about the blog. It’s gone through quite a few changes since I started it. From obscurity to almost-obscurity, from WordPress to Blogger and back to WordPress–and back to being a pretty quiet corner on the ‘net. For a time I was working hard to make it more popular, and it worked when I posted controversial things, but I found it juvenile to chase ratings and hits, so I stopped. Readers left, too. Ce la vie.

So where is it going now? What are my plans? I don’t know. I will keep it up, but I have to admit I have some other interests and projects that are taking precedence. Here they are:

1. I’m learning Photoshop. My goal with this is to get comfortable enough to design web layouts and templates with an eventual desire to revamp the church website (http://redeemer-enid.com) and then possibly this site. I’m also wanting to do some graphic design stuff for church with this–think pamphlets. Plus, I am working on drawing and painting a bit, and want to learn how to use it for that a little.

2. I’m learning CSS and HTML coding and such, so that I can take the design layouts and make them work. With the one above, it’s a right brain/left brain one-two punch. I like it.

3. Add to this the good things happening at church, with a number of young families becoming more active, a supportive group of elders, a Bible study class that I love and gives me great joy and all the ministry needs and opportunities that never go away.

4. In my personal life, I’m still working on my second novel, and have another one in the backroom, whispering to me to hurry up and finish this thriller and get back to her, cause she wants to show me some really cool things.  That one is a YA novel, a supernatural thriller, but I can barely right one at a time, so it is on hold. I’m getting pretty serious with this and hope that novel #3 or #4 will be ready to send out to agents. Maybe by the end of this year.

4. Marjorie and I have been doing handy-man jobs for rental houses and she’s dipping her feet into property management. That has been encouraging, giving me freedom to do repairs and simple remodeling without being seized by my perfectionism.

5. I’m still writing nonfiction on occasion.

That’s enough. Too much, really. Heading on a slightly new bearing professional and personally and working all this in to my vocation.

It’s good. I have hope. And it feels good to have some more creative outlets again. I ignored them and repressed them for far too long. In my new favorite prayer we ask our Lord to bless all industry and commerce, all useful arts and culture. That means all of us. And He does.

Possibly Related posts:

1. Stay Tuned
2. Working from Home
3. Scheduling Posts
4. New Ambitious Goal!
5. This Week’s Plan