Blogaversary Week! (Day 3)

Good morning! Hope this finds you well. If you haven’t been by yet this week, I’m celebrating my blogaversary! I’m repeating some of my posts from the previous year, and placing all comments for the entire week into a drawing for my Giveaway. (You can see the first two of several items here.) I’m continuing to put the prize together and will have a picture of everything up on Friday. Drawing will be Saturday morning.

It was exactly one year ago TODAY that I started my blog. I remember being quite intimidated trying to decide what in the world to share in my very first post. I finally decided what to say, typed it up and then had to pray for the courage to hit “publish post.” That may sound silly, but I was truly that fearful about it. I’m so grateful He answered my prayer. Over the past year, He’s worked through so many of you to change my life! There is something unexplainably wonderful and peculiar about the bond we share. We are Sisters who in most cases have never met face-to-face, yet we’ve walked some amazing journeys together. We‘ve shared great joys, heart-breaking sorrows, paralyzing fears and wonderful successes. We’ve rejoiced with one another, encouraged one another, prayed for one another and challenged one another. Among other things, we’ve shared favorite scriptures, recipes, photos, books, music, stories, craft projects, home improvement projects, ideas for blessing others and for saving money. Wow, the things I’ve learned from you! Most importantly, you’ve helped me love Jesus more than when I started this journey. For that, I’m most thankful.

Well, here it is…the post that appeared here one year ago today…

Welcome to my Life!
Maybe that’s a good place to start…If I may, I’d like to tell you a little of my story. I’m married to a wonderful man, my very best friend, Tom. We met way back in 1983 when he was working as a disc jockey at a Cincinnati radio station and I called to request a song. There was immediate chemistry and a short time later, we planned to meet. On the day we actually met (face-to-face), my little sister had gone up and down our street inviting all the kids in the neighborhood to come and see the “radio man” who was on his way to meet her sister. It’s a sight I will never forget….10-15 little kids sitting side-by-side, all along our front yard, cheering for him as he pulled down the street. That very likely could have been what “sealed the deal,” because Tom and I immediately began dating and a little over a year later, we were married.

We were happily enjoying life for a number of years, 3 ½ to be exact, when we learned we were expecting. What an amazing, exciting time! In January of 1989, we welcomed a beautiful baby boy, Brennan into our hearts and lives. Life was (and continues to be) blessed. Through a series of people and circumstances that could have only been orchestrated by God, my husband gave his heart to the Lord, and I recommitted my life to the Lord as well just before Brennan started first grade. We enrolled him in a Christian school (where he remained for all 12 years). By God’s grace, Brennan immediately adapted to an active church life and attending a Christian school. (He not only adapted to it, he loved it!) He has truly been the greatest blessing of our lives. A leader with exceptional character, tremendously talented, humble, sensitive, tons of fun and who will (to this day) hug and kiss his Mom and Dad right in front of his buddies! Our little family has always been close and God has blessed Brennan with some incredible mentors over the years that have really helped sharpen him into a passionate young man of faith. He is now a college student in South Carolina pursuing Christian media and theatre arts. We believe God has big things in store for him.

Meanwhile, Tom and I are living life, loving each other and loving the Lord. We both work for the same law firm, which means we get to ride to work together each day and even have lunch together most days. We are so blessed. Tom and I are both what you could call (in the words of Kevin Leman), “Joy Spreaders.” We love to encourage others and show the love of Christ in unexpected ways. It is my hope that this blog will be a place of encouragement, being real and yes spreading joy and love to others! Looking forward to new friends and (in the words of Beth Moore) blog “siestas!” May you be blessed this day…

Tracy

…I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. ~Romans 15:13